Department FrontPage

Esteemed Delegates,
Dear Pan-Africanists,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I bring you warm greetings from H.E. Mahmoud Ali, Chairperson of the African Union Commission. It is a pleasure and an honour to join you for this first Africa Continental Foresight Consultation for Resilient Agrifood Systems.

 Your Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda Who is being represented today by the Vice President, H.E. Major (Rtd) Jessica Alupo.
 Honorable Francis Mwebesa, Minister of Trade Industry and Cooperatives from the Republic of Uganda;
 All Cabinet and State Ministers here Present;
 Your Excellency Cristina Duarte, Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser of the United Nations Secretary-General on Africa;
 Dr. Majoro Grace Kabayo, Secretary General for Pan-African Women Organization (PAWO);

It is a great honour and privilege for me to welcome you all at the HQ of the AUC for this 19th annual meeting of the Committee of Directors-General of National Statistical Offices. I am delighted to see so many of you gathered here today, demonstrating your continued commitment to the development of statistics in Africa.

Let me begin by extending a warm welcome to the Deputy Prime Minister of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, H.E. Temesgen Tiruneh, and all African Directors-General of the NSOs, the custodians of official statistics on our continent.

Today, the African Union joins the global community in commemorating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities under the theme: “Fostering Disability-Inclusive Societies for Advancing Social Progress.” This day offers an important opportunity to reflect on achievements, confront structural challenges and renew our collective commitment to building an Africa where all persons, regardless of ability or location, fully enjoy their rights and contribute meaningfully to the continent’s socioeconomic, cultural and political development.