31st October, 2017: Banjul, The Gambia: The 13th African Union (AU) - European Union (EU) Human Rights Dialogue was held on 31 October 2017, in Banjul, The Gambia. H.E. Mrs. Minata Samate Cessouma, Commissioner for Political Affairs of the African Union Commission and H.E. Mr Stavros Lambrinidis, the EU Special Representative for Human Rights led their respective Delegations to the meeting.

Participants included the Heads and other elected representatives and staff of the African Union organs with a mandate on Human Rights, namely the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the African Court on Human and People’s Rights, the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, the African Union Commission, the African Union Advisory Board on Corruption and senior Human Rights officials of the European Union.

The AU/EU Annual Human Rights Dialogue is aimed amongst other things, to reflect on the past and present commitments of the AU and EU on Human Rights; takes stock of accomplishments; and sharing experience on best practices and new innovation in the field of human and peoples’ rights. The Dialogue also reflects on human rights challenges with a view to overcoming them; consolidate past achievements, as well as enhancing coordination at the international level on Human Rights issues.

Delegates from the two institutions made a comprehensive presentation on their works highlighting the achievements and challenges on the promotion and protection of human rights. The 2017 Dialogue extensively discussed recent and ongoing human rights interventions in Africa and Europe; some of these include the ongoing development of the 10-year Action Plan of the Human and Peoples’ Rights Decade in Africa; the efforts of the two continents on Transitional Justice, abolition of Death Penalty, Human Rights and Business, Human Rights and Torture, the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Socio, Economics and Political Rights of the Youth; Fighting Impunity at all levels for Accountability and Justice. Deployment of Human Rights Observers in Conflict Situations; Extremism and Counterterrorism; Universal Ratification and Implementation of all relevant and applicable Human Rights Instruments. A Communique that detailed joint agreements and actions to be taken on the above issues was adopted immediately after the meeting.

Furthermore, the outcomes of the 7th AU and EU Civil Society Organisation’s Seminar that focused on Elimination of Torture and other forms of Cruel, Inhuman, and Degrading Treatments in Africa and Europe, held on 28-29 October, 2017 in The Gambia, was also presented to the meeting and a decision was taken to support the CSOs work on Human Rights promotion in the two Continents.

In her opening remarks, H.E. Mrs. Minata Samate Cessouma, the AUC Commissioner for Political Affairs commended the efforts of the two organisations for taking the Annual Human Rights Dialogue to an appreciative heights with concrete impacts. She indicated that ‘‘there cannot be a sustainable peace and socio-economic transformation without respect for Human Rights’’. In this regard, she expressed the renewed commitment of the African Union to the promotion and protection of Human Rights in Africa. She said the African Union Assembly’s Declaration of Ten-Year Human Rights Action Plan and the ongoing development and finalisation of the Decade Plan are testimonies in this regard.
On her part, Advocate Pansy Tlakula, the outgoing Chairperson of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights called on the two continents to prioritised implementation of their human rights commitments.

H.E. Mr Stavros Lambrinidis, the EU Special Representative for Human Rights congratulated the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights on its 30th Anniversary. Thereafter, he commended the leadership of the African and European Human Rights Systems for their unwavering commitment to the promotion and protection of Human Rights and the fights against impunity in the two continents. He argued that there is no perfect human rights anywhere in the world but strong democratic and human rights institutions coupled with leadership commitments thus makes the difference. In conclusion, he called on the two sides to renew their commitments to the promotion and protection of human rights in the two continents.

The meeting was officially closed with remarks from H.E. Mrs. Minata Samata Cessouma and H.E. Mr. Stavros Lambrinidis. They both expressed their unreserved gratitude to all the delegates for their active participation and a successful Dialogue.
The AU and the EU agreed to hold the next round of Human Rights Dialogue in Europe in 2018.
For inquiries, contact:

Mr. Calixte Aristide Mbari| Ag. Head, DGHRE I Department of Political Affairs | African Union Commission | E-mail: MbariC@africa-union.org
A nd
Mr. John G. Ikubaje | Political Officer (Human Rights)I Department of Political Affairs | African Union Commission | E-mail: GbodiJ@africa-union.org

For further information:
Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I Email: DIC@african-union.org I Web Site: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia
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