What: Pre-Launch of the African Union Theme for 2024,

Theme: Educate an African fit for the 21st Century: Building resilient education systems for increased access to inclusive, lifelong, quality, and relevant learning in Africa.

When: Friday, 16th February 2024, 16:00pm to 17:00 PM

Where: Multipurpose Hall, African Union HQ

Key note Speakers

African Union Chairperson (H.E Azali Assoumani President of the union of Comoros)

the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (H.E Moussa Faki Mahamat)

President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (in her dual roles as the host country's leader and chair of the UNESCO group of Experts responsible for the 2021 Report on the Futures of Education) - (H.E President Sahle-Work Zewde)

BACKGROUND

The event will bring together the Committee of Ten Heads of State and Government (C10) dedicated to Education, Science, and Technology, along with executives from UN agencies, institutional partners, NGOs, bilateral partners, representatives from Regional Economic Communities, embassies of the Pan African University host countries, and Ethiopia’s Ministers of Education and Science and Technology, alongside youth and media representatives.

The pre-launch aims to amplify the visibility of the 2024 Education theme at the highest echelons of governance and to encourage partners to recommit their support to the African Union in the successful rollout of the Education roadmap. Marking a historic first, the year dedicated to Education follows its endorsement at the 36th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of AU Heads of States and Governments. This initiative seeks to galvanize member states towards fulfilling the Continental Strategy on Education for Africa (CESA), the Agenda 2030 and SDG4, and Agenda 2063 objectives.

The focus on Education for the year underscores a strategic moment for in-depth discussions on enhancing access to quality education across Africa, advocating for increased investments and the formulation of effective policies. This initiative is particularly crucial as Africa faces the most significant challenges globally, with the lowest educational attainment levels.

Specific Objectives:

• Revitalizing the C10 to raise the profile of education as a necessary investment for sustainable development in Africa.
• Endorsing the roadmap and committing to its implementation

Expected outcomes

• Strongest visibility given, at the highest level, to the theme of the Year
• Space given to partners to reaffirm their support to the AU in the rolling out of the roadmap

Ms. Claudette Chancelle BILAMPASSI MOUTSATSI |

PAU- ESTI Communication Officer| Department of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation| African Union Commission| E-mail: BilampassiC@africa-union.org|