Media Advisory/ 33rd AU Summit

36th ORDINARY SESSION OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

Theme: “Silencing the Guns: Creating Conducive Conditions for Africa’s Development”

INVITATION TO REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MEDIA

When: Thursday 6 to Friday 7 February 2020 as from 10:00 a.m.

Where: Nelson Mandela Hall, African Union Headquarters, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Who: Organized by the African Union Commission (AUC)

What: Official Opening of the Executive Council:
The Executive Council will officially open on 6th February 2020, in the presence of the leadership and officials of the AU Commission. The opening ceremony will include, among others, a speech by the Chairperson of the Executive Council, and a welcome remark by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, followed by a group photo of the Ministers with the Members of the Commission.

Objective: The Executive Council will consider the draft agenda and the draft decisions and declarations of the Assembly with appropriate recommendations for consideration by the Heads of State scheduled to take place from 9-10 February 2020.

Participants: The meeting of the Executive Council will bring together all the Ministers of the 55 African Union Member States based in Addis Ababa, as well as AU officials.

For two days, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs/External Relations and other ministers or authorities duly designated will reconvene in close session to deliberate on the different items on their agenda including the consideration the report of the Permanent Representatives’ Committee (PRC); the Annual Report on the Activities of the Union and its Organs for the period of January to December 2019 and the 14th Report of the Africa Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson on the implementation of the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa (SDGEA).

The Executive Council will further consider the reports and updates of the sub-committees of the Executive Council and Ad-hoc Ministerial Committees on:

 The Theme of the Year 2019: “Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons: Towards Durable Solutions to Forced Displacement in Africa”;

 Statute for the Establishment of African Centre for the Study and Research on Migration;

 The Specialized Technical Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs;

 Extraordinary Specialized Technical Committee on Social Development, Labour and Employment (SDLE-STC);

 Draft Social Agenda 2063;

 The 3rd Specialized Technical Committee on Education, Sciences and Technology;

 The 3rd Specialized Technical Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment;

 Statute of the African Peer Review Mechanism;

 Update on the Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa (2020-2030); and

 The Progress Made by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Among the high moments during the Executive Council will be the election and appointment of One (1) Member of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC), Six (6) Members of the African Union Commission on International Law (AUCIL), Ten (10) Members of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union.

Journalists are invited to cover the official opening and closing ceremonies of the 36th Ordinary Session of the Executive, on 6 and 7 February 2020. They are also invited to cover the photo session immediately after the opening of the Executive Council.

About the African Union:

The African Union spearheads Africa’s development and integration in close collaboration with African Union Member States, the Regional Economic Communities and African citizens.

AU Vision: to accelerate progress towards an integrated, prosperous and inclusive Africa, at peace with itself, playing a dynamic role in the continental and global arena, effectively driven by an accountable, efficient and responsive Commission.

Media inquiries should be directed to:
Mrs. Esther Azaa Tankou| Head of Information Division | African Union Commission | Tel: +251 (0) 911361185 | E-mail: yamboue@africa-union.org |
Mr. Gamal Ahmed A. Karrar| Communication Officer| Directorate of Information and Communication, African Union Commission | E-mail: GamalK@africa-union.org
For further information:
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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