10 February 2019 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - In recognition of challenges and prevailing need to recognize links between displacement and peace and security and the development dimension, the 32nd African Union (AU) heads of state and government summit opens today under the theme of the year 2019: “The Year of Refugees, Returnees and IDPs: Towards Durable Solutions to Forced displacement in Africa”, which will be launched in open session today.

African heads of state and government, the AU leadership and officials of the AU Commission and AU organs, representatives of partner organisations, the diplomatic corps, and invited guests will attend the opening ceremony.

Highlights of the Assembly meeting will include: deliberations on the institutional reform of the AU; the African Continetal Free Trade Area; the implementation of Assembly decision on the post Cotonou negotiations; reports on peace and security; reports of chairpersons of the commitees of the Assembly; and reports of the leaders on specific thematic issues. The Assembly will consider and adopt the draft legal instruments and witness the inauguration of the statue of Emperor Haile Selassie, one of the founders of the Organisation of African Unity- predecessor of the African Union. It will also hold elections for the bureau of the Assembly of the African Union for 2019 and of the Chairperson of the African Union for 2020.

The Assembly will elect/appoint the following:
• One (1) Member of the African Union Commission on International Law (AUCIL);
• One (1) Member of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child;
• Seven (7) Members of the African Union Advisory Board on Corruption
• Five (5) Members of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union;
• Five eminent persons

Tips for media covering the summit are at https://au.int/en/documents/20190207/media-tips-32nd-au-summit
The full Assembly programme is at https://au.int/sites/default/files/documents/35583-doc-program_assembly_...
A live stream of the official opening proceedings and all press conference will be available. Details will be posted on the AU website and on its twitter account.
A summary of the key decisions of the Assembly will be posted on www.au.int soon after the close of the summit.

For more information and inquiries contact:
1) Mrs. Wynne Musabayana| Head of Communication | Directorate of Information and Communication, African Union Commission I E-mail: MusabayanaW@africa-union.org

2) Mr. Gamal Ahmed A. Karrar| Communication Officer| Directorate of Information and Communication, African Union Commission | E-mail: GamalK@africa-union.org

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

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