Events

Press Release Nº005/2014

Agenda 2063 revives Africa’s integration debate

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 6 February, 2014: Visiting Assistant Secretary-General and Regional Director, Regional Bureau for Africa, of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Mr. Abdoulaye Mar Dieye has noted that the Agenda 2063 has rekindled debates around Africa’s integration. He shared these remarks with the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Dr. NkosazanaDlaminiZuma on Thursday, 6 February 2014, at the AU Commission Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Mr. Mar Dieyenoted that Dr. DlaminiZuma’sAgenda 2063 “e-mail from the future” is a defining moment. It is generating a lot of positive energy and refocusing Africa’s development agenda. He affirmed that UNDP’s Africa programmewill be anchored on the various frameworks of the AU and the Regional Economic Communities. “You can count on our full support,” he assuredthe AU Commission Chairperson.

Dr. DlaminiZuma expressed hope to have partners engage with Africa by supporting its development priorities. “Everyone of us in the international community must learn to adapt and engage with Africa based on its renewed self-determination as expressed by the articulation of Agenda 2063, Africa's Common Position on Post 2015 and by Africa’s determination to develop its own African Development Goals, regardless of the outcomes of the negotiations on Post 2015 in New York.”

She concurredthat the need to revive the integration debateinformsAgenda 2063 as an enabling framework.“None of our countries can reach its full potentials without integration. That is also why the OAU was created. It is our dream that each of our countries can become a super power by its own”,the AUC Chairperson remarked.

She expressed appreciation for UNDP’s continued support thus far.They both looked forward to strengthening various areas of cooperation between the AUC and UNDP.

JEE/

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Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: dinfo@africa-union.org I Web Site www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

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Press Release Nº30/22nd AU SUMMIT

AUC Chairperson and UN Deputy Secretary General discuss enhancing AU-UN cooperation

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 30 January, 2014: The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and UN Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliasson, heading the UN delegation, have held discussions aimed at strengthening the relationship between the African Union and the United Nations in areas of development, climate change, peace and security. They met in the margins of the 22ndAssembly of Heads of State and Government taking place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 30-31 January 2014.

Spelling out the priorities for the continent, the AUC Chairperson invited the UN as well as other partners interested in the development of Africa, to pay attention to the continent’s priorities. These priorities include investing in the people through education and equipping them with skills, and knowledge in research, science and technology.

Dr. Dlamini Zuma also noted the continent’s drive toward combating food and nutritional insecurity, enhancing its agriculture, industrializing, beneficiation of the continent’s rich natural resources, and developing its energy and transport infrastructure. “We want to industrialise, grow our blue and green economies, and boost our intra-African trade, “she reiterated.

These areas remain very critical while the continent strives to better communicate within itself and with the rest of the world, telling its own narratives, overcoming the current challenges of peace and security, while at the same time dealing with the other basket of issues around governance, human rights and the rule of law.

The Deputy Secretary General expressed the need to intensify development cooperation in crisis areas, as well as in areas of human rights and the rule of law. He hailed the excellent relations between the Commission and other UN agencies. He highlighted the UN’s expectations for input from Africa’s 54 member bloc to greatly inform the post-2015 agenda.

Mr. Eliasson also expressed the UN’s worries around ethnic polarization of politics as it is currently unfolding in the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Syria and other places. “This negative trend,” the DSG agreed, “is fueled by those who play around differences to foment problems for the sake of power and their selfish interests, as opposed to exploring the richness in diversity.”

Sharing her concerns about conflict, Dr. Dlamini Zuma noted the need to conceive strategies aimed at managing diversity, pointing to the need for strong institutions which will help in managing and preventing violent escalation of conflicts. “If there were stronger institutions in South Sudan, Central African Republic or elsewhere, the ongoing situations would have been prevented. Intra party conflicts happen every where,” she remarked. She called for deeper analysis and understanding of the root causes of these conflicts, including the role of external actors, given that these groups have lived together in the past.

The AU and UN delegations also exchanged views on the regional oversight meeting holding in the sidelines of the Summit, during which the technical support committee is expected to produce a plan of action on the peace, security and cooperation framework agreement of the Great Lakes, signed in February 2012.

JEE/wzm

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Addis Ababa, 20 January 2014: The Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU), Dr Nkozasana Dlamini Zuma, concluded today, 20 January 2014, a one day official visit to Juba, the capital of the Republic of South Sudan.

During her visit, the Chairperson met with H.E. Salvar Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan, as well as with the detainees at their detention venue.
In her remarks to both parties, the Chairperson insisted on the urgency for them to sign an agreement on the cessation of hostilities, so as to stop the senseless killings taking place in South Sudan and end the humanitarian tragedy unfolding in their country.

Addressing the issue of accountability, the Chairperson explained the decision of the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC), meeting in Banjul, The Gambia, on 30 December 2013, at the level of Heads of State and Government, requesting her to establish a Commission of Inquiry into the recent events in South Sudan. The Chairperson stressed that the objectives of the Commission of Inquiry will be to address the plight of the victims of human rights violations and assist the Government and people of South Sudan to identify the factors that are needed to strengthen the institutions of their young nation, while providing reconciliation and healing opportunities to its diverse people and ensure sustainable peace.

Although the parties offered different explanations on the root causes of the current crisis, both agreed that the fundamental issue is a political problem within the ruling party, which requires a political rather than a military solution. They also agreed on the urgency of an immediate and unconditional signing of a cessation of hostilities agreement to stop the killing and the suffering of the people of South Sudan. In this regard, the detainees reiterated their position that their release should not be used as a pre-condition for the conclusion of the cessation of hostilities agreement, emphasizing that no condition could morally justify the continued senseless killing of fellow South Sudanese people. Both parties also agreed on the need to address the issue of accountability. In this regard, they supported the establishment of the Commission of Inquiry along the terms described by the Chairperson, and undertook to collaborate with it.

Both parties welcomed the Chairperson’s visit and encouraged the AU to continue to work closely with the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), with a view to finding a lasting solution to the ongoing crisis in South Sudan and its underlying causes.

Addis Ababa, 18 January 2014: The Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU), Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, reiterates her serious concern about the on-going situation in South Sudan. She deplores the senseless killing of innocent civilians and the humanitarian tragedy unfolding on the ground. Thousands of civilians continue to lose their lives while attempting to flee for safety, as was the unfortunate case of over 200 people who drowned in the White Nile while fleeing from the fighting.

The Chairperson of the Commission urges the Government of South Sudan and the armed opposition to cease hostilities immediately and unconditionally, and sign an agreement to this effect in the supreme interest of their suffering people. She calls on all the parties to ensure unfettered and secured access by humanitarian agencies to all the people who are in urgent need for assistance, especially women, children and the elderly.

The Chairperson of the Commission reminds all the parties of their obligations to uphold international human rights and humanitarian law. In this respect, she recalls the decision of the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC), meeting in Banjul, The Gambia, on 30 December 2013, requesting her, in consultation with the Chairperson of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and other relevant AU stakeholders, to urgently establish a Commission of Inquiry to investigate human rights violations and other abuses committed during the armed conflict in South Sudan and make recommendations on the best ways and means to ensure accountability, reconciliation and healing among all South Sudanese communities.

As a follow up to this decision, the AU Commission has taken steps to develop the terms of reference of the Commission of Inquiry, select its members and mobilize the support required for the effective discharge of its mandate. Building on African experience and acting within the framework of AU instruments, this Commission of Inquiry will be an Africa-led mechanism expected to contribute in addressing the plight of the victims and assist the people of South Sudan to devise a comprehensive strategy on how to build their young nation, reconcile their differences and deal with root causes of the current crisis to avoid its recurrence and bring about lasting and sustainable peace.

The Chairperson Commission reiterates AU’s strong support for the African mediation on South Sudan led by IGAD, and commends the Mediation Team for its sustained efforts and continued commitment in the search for a solution to the current conflict. She also expresses appreciation for the support of the AU partners to the IGAD Mediation and encourages them to continue to do so.

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 17 January, 2014: The First Deputy Speaker of the General National Congress of Libya, H.E. Mr. Ezeddin Al-Awamy has reiterated, today his country’s support to the African Union, during a courtesy visit to the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma. H.E. Mr. Ezeddin Al-Awamy was at the head of a five-man delegation.

After receiving and appreciating the warm welcome by the Chairperson, the Libyan First Deputy Speaker said that the visit was fundamentally to reiterate his country’s keen interest in abandoning the divisive policy of the past regime and strengthening the relationship with all other countries in the region on a new basis. In particular, he requested the support of the African Union during the ongoing transition.

The Libyan First Deputy Speaker said Libya upholds the AU as a critical body with the enormous responsibility of facilitating and implementing the ambitious agenda of the Union. For this reason, Libya will continue to work hand in glove with other Member States and to support the activities of the AU Commission and the leadership of Dr. Dlamini Zuma.

Acknowledging the critical role of Libya, Dr. Dlamini Zuma thanked Libya’s contribution to the Union, not only as one of the five major contributing countries, but also its active participation in the Permanent Representative Council, the Executive Council and in the Assembly.

She expressed hope in seeing Libya overcoming the current challenges during this transition, and moving forward to rebuilding and strengthening the institutions in the country.

The visiting First Deputy Speaker and the AUC Chairperson also discussed other areas of possible collaboration, including capacity building. He invited the Chairperson to visit Libya in the course of the year.

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