Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 19 July 2017: The Department of Political Affairs (DPA) of the African Union Commission (AUC) in collaboration with the Centre for the Studies of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR) and the Human Rights Section of the UN-AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) hosted a workshop for the Human Rights Institutions and the Transitional Justice Mechanisms in Darfur on 18-19 July 2017 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The workshop aims to explore ways and means to provide technical support to the Human Rights Institutions and Transitional Justice Mechanisms in Darfur to enhance the effective discharge of their mandates.
The opening ceremony delivered statements and remarks from key dignitaries: Ms Nomfundo Mogapi, Executive Director of the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR); Mr Abdourhaman A. Ibrahim, Head of UNAMID Coordination Mechanism Section; Honourable Mr. Elfatih Mohammed Eissa Tayfoor, Prosecutor General of the Special Court of Darfur; His Excellency Mr Jamal Al-Sheikh, Ambassador of the Sudan to Ethiopia and the African Union and finally Her Excellency Mrs. Minata Samate Cessouma, Commissioner for Political Affairs, who was represented by Amb. Salah S. Hammad, Ag. Head of the AGA Secretariat and Sr. Human Rights Expert.
Mrs. Nomfundo Mogapi, Executive Director of the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR) welcomed the participants to this important meeting. She praised the partnership that exist between CSVR and the DPA/AUC and reiterated her support to the transitional justice in Darfur.
Mr. Abdourhaman A. Ibrahim, Head of UNAMID Coordination Mechanisms Section praised the level of coordination and collaboration between the Human Rights Section of UNAMID and the Human Rights Unit of the Department of Political Affairs of the African Union Commission. He further recognized the special working relationship between the Human Rights Section of UNAMID and the Transitional Justice Mechanisms in Darfur.
The Opening Ceremony was also addressed by Honourable Mr. Elfatih Mohammed Eisa Tayfoor, General Prosecutor for the Special Court of Darfur. Mr. Tayfoor thanked the DPA/AUC, CSVR and UNAMID for convening this workshop and for all the support provided to the Transitional Justice Mechanisms in Darfur. Honourable Tayfoor concluded his brief statement by calling on all Transitional Justice Mechanisms in Darfur to familiarize themselves with the implementation of transitional justice processes on the ground, and to equip their staff with practical knowledge on the use of the guidelines to monitor the implementation process at the national level.
H.E. Mr. Jamal Al-Sheikh, Ambassador of the Sudan addressed the workshop and thanked the organizers for their efforts to bring participants from all Human Rights Institutes and Transitional Justice mechanisms in Darfur, which were established in conformity with the Doha Peace Agreement. He further made reference to the outcomes of the recently concluded national dialogue and recognized it as an efforts to sustain peace and build democratic governance in the Sudan. He also reiterated the need for the Transitional Justice Mechanisms in Darfur to familiarize themselves with the implementation processes of the transitional justice on the ground, and to equip their staff with practical knowledge on the use of the continental and national instruments to perfect the implementation process at the national level.
The workshop was officially declared opened by H.E. Mrs. Minata Samate Cessouma, Commissioner for Political Affairs of the African Union Commission, who was represented by Amb. Salah S. Hammad, Ag. Head of the AGA Secretariat and Sr. Human Rights Expert within the Department of Political Affairs.
H.E. Mrs. Minata Samate Cessouma indicated that the AU has adopted and is now implementing the African Agenda 2063. At the heart of Agenda 2063, which is the long term development blue print of the Continent, aimed at socio-economic advancement and structural transformation of Africa. The Commissioner added that Agenda 2063 was adopted to among others inculcate a culture of human rights in Africa. One important commitment in this regard was to end all wars and silence the guns by 2020.
H.E. Mrs. Minata Samate Cessouma added that the organization of this workshop is timely and pertinent given recent political developments in Sudan. More significantly, we are gratified by the National Dialogue recently concluded in the Sudan to reaffirm the collective need to guarantee and respect human and peoples’ rights, the rule of law, democratic, credible and peaceful elections, democratic and participatory governance.
The workshop was officially declared closed by H.E. Mrs. Minata Samate Cessouma, Commissioner for Political Affairs of the African Union Commission, who was represented by Dr. Khabele Matlosa, Director for Political Affairs. Dr. Matlosa indicated that establishing Transitional Justice Mechanisms in Darfur provides the best hope for practical application of the principle of African solutions to African problems aimed at achieving the ultimate goal of building sustainable peace in Darfur. He also underlined the important role played by the Government of Sudan in assisting these Mechanisms in meeting the challenges faced at the national level.
In conclusion, Dr. Khabele Matlosa expressed his profound gratitude to H.E. the Ambassador of the Sudan, the representatives of the Human Rights Institutions and Transitional Justice Mechanisms in Darfur for being part of this important workshop. He also thanked the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR) for its continued support to the Department of Political Affairs and for facilitating the convening of this meeting. Dr. Matlosa also thanked the Human Rights Section of UNAMID for honoring the partnership that exist with the Department of Political Affairs for the benefit of the people of Darfur. He also thanked the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights for East Africa for supporting this process.
The Workshop brought together participants from the Department of Human Rights of the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs, the Advisory Council for Human Rights of the Ministry of Justice, the Office of the General Prosecutor for the Special Court of Darfur, the Justice, Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Darfur, the National Human Rights Commission, the Press Freedom Foundation, the National Group for Human Rights in addition to experts from Human Rights Section and Rule of Law Section of UNAMID, CSVR and the DPA/AUC.
Media inquiries should be directed to:
Amb. Salah S. Hammad | Senior Human Rights Expert | Department of Political Affairs |
African Union Commission | E-mail: HammadS@africa-union.org |
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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