Addis Ababa, 16 May 2016 - The African Union Commission (AUC) will take part at the First World Humanitarian Summit to be held from 23 to 24 May 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey. During this event, the African Union will focus on the theme: “One Africa, One Voice, One Message at the World Humanitarian Summit”,. Several side events to initiate actions and commitments which enable countries and communities to prepare for and respond to crises will be organized by the AU Commission in collaboration with partner Organisations such as the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA); the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR); the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC); the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons and Norwegian Refugee Council-Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (NRC/IDMC). The joint activities will alsohelp to share best practices aimed to save lives around the world while placing affected people at the centre of humanitarian action and alleviating suffering.

H.E. Mr, Erastus Mwencha, Deputy Chairperson of the AUC is expected to deliver a key note address during the African Union High-Level Panel on Humanitarian Effectiveness in Africa scheduled to take place on 24 May 2016 during the Summit, while H.E Dr. Aisha Laraba Abudullahi, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs will address the issue of “Reforming Africa’s Humanitarian Architecture”, as one of the panelists.

Meanwhile, the Africa Union will seize the opportunity during the Summit in Istanbul to reaffirm its future priorities and unequivocally call for an inclusive, transparent and fairer humanitarian system, as well as renew its call for mutually beneficial partnerships that seek to put humanity at the fore by enhancing collective ownership of the proposed Agenda for humanity.

Worth noting that, the World Humanitarian Summit will hold against a backdrop of a rapidly changing humanitarian landscape, with Africa facing growing impact of disasters. In spite of the gravity of these crises, humanitarian response in Africa still relies heavily on a global system, whose character is complex and need to be reformed. This is because of the fact that the humanitarian system founded by UN Resolution 46/182, 20 years ago is overstretched and requires fundamental reforms.

In light of the failures of the existing institutional architecture and/or lack of it in some instances, effective solutions to humanitarian crises will remain elusive unless fundamental reforms in governance of humanitarian action are implemented, globally and on the African continent. In Africa such reforms are also needed to strengthen the role of States to predict and prevent humanitarian crises, and where crises occur to effectively respond and/or build resilience of communities to withstand shocks of future crises.

Registration to the African Union (AU) High-Level Panel on Humanitarian Effectiveness in Africa
Participants willing to attend the AU High Level Panel on Humanitarian Effectiveness in Africa during the World Humanitarian Summit are invited to register on the link below.
The high level panel will hold from 9:00 -10:30 on 24 May 2016, at the -Hisar (330 - Theater), in the Lüfti Kirdar Convention and Exhibition Center (LKCC) building in Istanbul, Turkey.
The High Level Panel will provide space for dialogue between Africa's leaders and people and the wider global community on ways of creating an effective and inclusive humanitarian system fit for purpose.
Attendance to the AU High Level Panel will be limited to participants who are fully accredited to the World Humanitarian Summit which is done by the UN Protocol and Liaison Service.
For more information on accreditation to the World Humanitarian Summit, please go to: https://www.worldhumanitariansummit.org/whs_summit
More information on media can also be found at the following link: https://www.worldhumanitariansummit.org/whs_press

Journalists are invited to cover the World Humanitarian Summit on 23 and 24 May 2016 in Istanbul.

Contact:

Dr. Matlosa Khabele, Director Political Affairs Department, African Union Commission, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Tel. +(251) 11 551 7700, E-mail: matlosak@africa-union.org;

Olabisi A. Dare, Political Affairs Department, African Union Commission, Tel. +(251) 11 551 7844 E-mail: dareo@africa-union.org;

Rita Amukhobu, Political Affairs Department, African Union Commission Tel. + (251) 11 551 7700, amukhobu@africa-union.org;

Renny Mike Wafula, Political Affairs Department, Mob + (251) 911034142, E-mail: wafula.rm@gmail.com.
Media contact:
Esther Azaa Tankou | Ag. Director of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: Yamboue@african-union.org I Tel: +251 911361185Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@african-union.org I Website: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia
For further information:
Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@african-union.org I Website: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

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