DREA Commissioner meets World Bank Director for Global Practice – Social, Urban, Rural, and Resilience

Sendai, Japan 15 March 2015- H.E Tumusiime Rhoda Peace, Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture of the African Union Commission yesterday held a meeting with Mr. Ede Jorge Ijjasz-Vasquez, the new Senior Director, Global Practice – Social, Urban, Rural, and Resilience, of the World Bank. They discussed ways and means of ensuring a more structured and stepped up collaboration between the World Bank and the African Union Commission and specifically with the Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture. In this connection, they also discussed the possibility of joint convening by the World Bank and the AUC of a Conference on Africa Understanding Risk and Finance, in close collaboration with UNISDR, AfDB and EU.
While expressing appreciation for the opportunity of the meeting with the World Bank Director, Commissioner Tumusiime, hailed the World Bank’s ongoing cooperation and support in the areas of climate change, agriculture, land policy and disaster risk reduction, among other areas under her portfolio. The two agreed to get their respective technical teams to get together and review areas of cooperation and propose a way forward for enhanced collaboration and delivery.
The Commissioner expressed satisfaction with the increasing awareness, appreciation and commitment on the part of AU Member States vis-à-vis these inter-related areas. She called for called for increased harmonisation of interventions in these areas, the strengthening of capacities and effective mainstreaming.
The meeting was attended by among others, Mr Christopher Pusch, Coordinator of Disaster Risk Management in Africa.

Media Contact

Ms. Carol Jilombo, Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture; AUC
jilomboc@africa-union.org

Mr. Molalet Tsedeke; Directorate of Information and Communication, AUC;
molalett@africa-union.org;

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