Events

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 9 April, 2014: Members of the African Ombudsmen and Mediators Association (AOMA) will henceforth join various African Union peacemaking and preventive diplomacy initiatives and missions. The AU Commission Chairperson, H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma affirmed this engagement during an audience she granted a delegation of the AOMA, led by the Association President, Dr. Paulo Tjipilca. They met at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 9 April 2014.

The delegation paid a courtesy visit to the AUC Chairperson as well as to present the letter of credence to the Union, of its new Permanent Representative to the African Union and Chief Ombudsman of Ethiopia, Mrs. Fozia Amin.

Following a brief presentation of the association and its membership, Dr. Paulo Tjipilca expressed the association’s interest in integrating into the structures of the AU, being present and participating in its activities, including those of the AU Panel of the Wise.

AOMA and the AU Commission had in 2011, signed a memorandum of understanding in which they agreed to promote the strategic priorities of the AUC in the realms of democracy, good governance, promoting and protecting human rights, transparency and administrative justice, elections observation and peace and security.

Appreciating the important role of the AU in the continent and around the world, including the compelling vision of developing Agenda 2063, and the inspirational “E-mail from the Future,” the Association did not want to feel left out. Its president promised to provide the list of its members for consideration in various high level missions and initiatives.

Dr. Dlamini Zuma expressed delight in welcoming the delegation to Addis Ababa, and to work with the association in various areas. “Being their last line of defense, our citizens expect you to fully promote and protect their right,” she concluded.

Addis Ababa, 9 April 2014: The Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU), Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, welcomes the formal commencement of the Sudan National Consultative Dialogue through the convening of a National Political Parties Summit, which was chaired by President Omar Hassan al Bashir, on 6 April 2014.

The Chairperson of the Commission acknowledges that this first meeting is an important step aimed at transitioning Sudan into a new political dispensation where the issues of democracy, constitutional reform, economic stability, peaceful resolution of conflicts and diversity are effectively addressed. She recognizes the need for Sudan to undertake a comprehensive and holistic national dialogue amongst the people of Sudan and congratulates all the political parties which took part in this first meeting for their constructive and candid inputs, which will guide the national dialogue process and will help focus the work of various committees to be established.

The Chairperson of the Commission also encourages the Government of Sudan to engage in some immediate national reforms and confidence-building measures, as announced by the President of the Republic during his meeting with the leaders of the political parties, stressing that this would facilitate genuine participation of all the sectors of society in the national dialogue. She urges all the political and other stakeholders to heed the call to take part in this national process to ensure that it encompasses broad views of the Sudanese Nation and to seize this opportunity to advance the democratization agenda in their country and end the suffering of their people.

The Chairperson of the Commission reiterates the AU’s continued commitment to assist Sudan, through the AU High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP), and calls on the international community to stand ready to support the Sudanese in the pursuit for a new political dispensation.

Addis Ababa, 6 April 2014: The Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU), Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, welcomes the launching, yesterday, in Addis Ababa, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn of Ethiopia, Chairperson of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) Intra-Party Dialogue Forum. She commends the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) and the African National Congress (ANC) for having accepted to facilitate the Forum.

The Chairperson of the Commission underlines the importance of this process, which should enable the SPLM leadership to examine in-depth the underlying causes of the crisis facing their party and of the conflict in South Sudan. She urges all the stakeholders to take advantage of the intra-party talks, which are expected to run concurrently with the IGAD-led mediation efforts, to advance the cause of peace, security, stability, reconciliation and good governance in South Sudan.

The Chairperson of the Commission seizes this opportunity to reiterate AU’s deep concern at the continued conflict in South Sudan and the untold suffering inflicted on the civilian population. She renews AU’s full support to the IGAD mediation, and, once again, appeals to the parties to the conflict to put the interest of their country and people above any other consideration and to extend unreserved cooperation to the team of Special Envoys led by Ambassador Seyoum Mesfin.

AUC Chairperson arrives in Abuja for RCM-Africa and Ministers of Economy and Finance conference

Abuja, Nigeria, 27 March, 2014: The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma arrives in Abuja, Nigeria on Thursday, March 27, 2014 for a series of meetings, including the Seventh Joint Annual Meetings of the ECA Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and the AU Conference Ministers of Economy and Finance (CAMEF) holding 25-30 March, 2014.

Over 50 Ministers and Assistant Ministers of Economy and Finance are attending the meetings during which they will discuss proposals on the mechanism for implementing options of Alternative Sources of Financing the African Union. Their conclusions will be presented for the consideration of Heads of State and Government when they meet in the next Summit billed for June 2014, in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.

Holding under the theme, “Industrialization for inclusive and transformative development in Africa,” this joint ECA and AU conference of African Ministers is also expected to deliver the following results, amongst others, “a well-articulated documentation of progress in the implementation of the industrialization agenda, as stated under the Accelerated Industrial Development of Africa (AIDA); and policy options and actions required at national, sub-regional and regional levels for AIDA’s implementation geared toward achieving inclusive and sustainable growth in Africa.”

During these meetings, Dr. Dlamini Zuma will deliver opening statements, together with the UNECA Executive Secretary, Dr. Carlos Lopez, and African Development Bank President, Dr. Donald Kaberuka and United Nations Deputy Secretary General, Jan Eliasson. Other guest speakers at the RCM will include President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and President Allassane Ouattara.

A major highlight of the meetings will be a keynote address on the theme of the conference to be delivered by H.E. Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Dr Dlamini Zuma and AUC Deputy Chairperson, H.E. Erastus Mwencha will also be attending the fifteenth session of the Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa (RCM-Africa) of the United Nations agencies and organisations working in Africa in support of the African Union and its NEPAD programme. The RCM-Africa meeting will hold parallel to that of the economy and finance ministers.

Mining and commodities: Africa to speak and act as one

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 17 March, 2014: The African continent must strive to have one voice, and act as one on issues around mining and commodities. This was a clear point of convergence between the African Union Commission Chairperson, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, and Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary, in the Ministry of Mining, who doubles as the Chairman of the Governing Council of the Southern and Eastern African Mineral Centre (SEAMIC), H.E. Najib Balala EGH.

The two met on Monday, 17 March 2014, at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, during which they exchanged thoughts on the countless opportunities, as well as the challengesthat exist around the mining sector in Africa. The Chairman of the SEAMIC Governing Council appreciated the Chairperson’s recent representation at the Mining Indaba that held recently in South Africa.

H.E. Najib Balala’s courtesy visit was in support of the Chairperson’s call for serious strategic attention to be paid to issues of mining and commodities. He enjoined the AU to uphold the much needed continental leadership in this area. In the same light he extended an invitation to the AUC Chairperson to attend the SEAMIC’s Governing Council to hold in May 2014, during which they plan to stretch beyond their sub-regions to embrace a continental agenda.

The AUC Chairperson affirmed the AU’s determination to champion and attain the African Mining Vision. She committed the full support of the AUC, through the Department of Trade and Industry,in partnership with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to implement a five-year project aimed at contributing to thedeliver the African Mining Vision.

Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zumaalso extended invitation H.E. Najib Balala to have a SEAMIC representative to join the AU strategy team on mining and commodity exchange.

Based in Dar es Salaam Tanzania, Tanzania, the Southern and Eastern African Mineral Centre (SEAMIC) is a specialized technical institution, founded in 1977 by Member States to provide knowledge and information in the mining industry.