Events

INVITATION TO THE MEDIA

MOU SIGNING CEREMONY BETWEEN AU AND CHINA

H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and H.E. Mr Zhang Ming, Special Envoy of The Chinese Government and Vice Foreign Minister Of China, will chair an MoU Signing Ceremony on Continental transport, within the Framework of the Agenda 2063, High Speed Railway, Aviation, Road Highways and Industrialisation Infrastructure.

The signing ceremony will be held today Tuesday 27th January 2015 at 12:00 in the VIP Reception Room, 2nd Floor, at the New AU Conference Center, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Journalists are invited to take part in the signing ceremony.

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PRESS RELEASE Nº04/ 24th AU SUMMIT

26th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council Opens with a call for Accelerated Empowerment of Women

Addis Ababa, 26 January 2015 – “We must really have an irreversible momentum towards the emancipation of women on the continent” said Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) while addressing the opening ceremony today of the 26th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, under the theme: “Year of Women’s Empowerment and Development towards Africa’s Agenda 2063”.

Dr. Dlamini Zuma warmly welcomed the new Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, H.E Valma Vall Mint Soueinea, who is also the Chairperson of the Executive Council. Another woman Minister to the “small but ever increasing group of women ministers of the AU” she noted with satisfaction.

This year 2015, the AUC Chairperson underlined, will make a difference in the lives of many African women, through practical initiatives in agriculture and agro-processing; science, technology, innovation and education; business development and financial inclusion; health and reproductive rights, as well as the campaigns against gender-based violence, sexual violence in conflicts and child marriages. Dr. Dlamini Zuma called on the Member States to do more this year to increase the representation of women in government, in the judiciary and other public and private institutions, increasing the participation of women at the tables in peace negotiations. “I am quite sure that although this is a year of women, it is about our entire communities. That is why we look to you, our dear brothers to ensure that we work together to achieve objectives of the year”, she underscored.

The AUC Chairperson recalled that the AUC has just concluded the 2014 Year of Agriculture and Food Security, with a much better sense of what needs to be done: including improving women’s access to land; provision of rural infrastructure such as roads, irrigation; access to agricultural inputs, markets and finances for especially small holder farmers; modernization of agricultural tools and mitigation and adaptation to climate change. The issues on AU response to the Ebola crisis, alternative sources of financing, conflict management, AU peace keeping and youth employment among others featured in the statement. (See complete speech of the AUC Chairperson on the AU website: www.au.intt ).

On the other hand, the Chairperson of the Executive Council commended Africa for its capacity to speak in one voice. She called on the representatives of Member States to strengthen the cooperation with the AU Commission so as to enable Africa overcome all the socio-economic and political challenges of the time. “The joint efforts in the fight against Ebola have demonstrated African solidarity and it is important to continue in that way” she underlined. Minister Fatma Mint Vall Soueinae also commended the work done to elaborate the framework document for Agenda 2063 with the view to enhance Africa’s development. She called on the Member States to contribute in ensuring the full implementation of this agenda.

Dr. Carlos Lopes, UN Under Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) welcomed the choice of theme of the 24th AU Summit while acknowledging and paying tribute to the “female leaders who have been fighting for the continent’s recognition as a key player in the work arena. He stressed on the capacity of Africa to achieve its commitments for development under Agenda 2063. “Africa is still one of the fastest growing regions in the world and this development is totally opposite to the economic stagnation that can be observed in some developed countries,” Mr. Lopes said. He added that “Africa is at a turning point and the new African narrative is alive and now well, but it is still a little shaky, and we absolutely cannot allow any coughs or sniffles to turn into an epidemic.”
Composed of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of AU member States, The Executive Council is charged with the responsibility of preparing the work of the Assembly of Heads of States and Governments. The outcomes of this session will be presented during the 24th Ordinary Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union to take place on 30-31 January 2015, for adoption.
Journalists wishing to interview the leadership of the AU Commission during the Summit should submit their requests to Mrs Esther Azaa Tankou E-mail: YambouE@africa-union.org
EAT/
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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Face book: https://www.facebook.com/AfricanUnionCommission
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Learn more at: http://www.au.int

PRESS RELEASE Nº04/ 24th AU SUMMIT

26th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council Opens with a call for Accelerated Empowerment of Women

Addis Ababa, 26 January 2015 – “We must really have an irreversible momentum towards the emancipation of women on the continent” said Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) while addressing the opening ceremony today of the 26th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, under the theme: “Year of Women’s Empowerment and Development towards Africa’s Agenda 2063”.

Dr. Dlamini Zuma warmly welcomed the new Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, H.E Valma Vall Mint Soueinea, who is also the Chairperson of the Executive Council. Another woman Minister to the “small but ever increasing group of women ministers of the AU” she noted with satisfaction.

This year 2015, the AUC Chairperson underlined, will make a difference in the lives of many African women, through practical initiatives in agriculture and agro-processing; science, technology, innovation and education; business development and financial inclusion; health and reproductive rights, as well as the campaigns against gender-based violence, sexual violence in conflicts and child marriages. Dr. Dlamini Zuma called on the Member States to do more this year to increase the representation of women in government, in the judiciary and other public and private institutions, increasing the participation of women at the tables in peace negotiations. “I am quite sure that although this is a year of women, it is about our entire communities. That is why we look to you, our dear brothers to ensure that we work together to achieve objectives of the year”, she underscored.

The AUC Chairperson recalled that the AUC has just concluded the 2014 Year of Agriculture and Food Security, with a much better sense of what needs to be done: including improving women’s access to land; provision of rural infrastructure such as roads, irrigation; access to agricultural inputs, markets and finances for especially small holder farmers; modernization of agricultural tools and mitigation and adaptation to climate change. The issues on AU response to the Ebola crisis, alternative sources of financing, conflict management, AU peace keeping and youth employment among others featured in the statement. (See complete speech of the AUC Chairperson on the AU website: www.au.intt ).

On the other hand, the Chairperson of the Executive Council commended Africa for its capacity to speak in one voice. She called on the representatives of Member States to strengthen the cooperation with the AU Commission so as to enable Africa overcome all the socio-economic and political challenges of the time. “The joint efforts in the fight against Ebola have demonstrated African solidarity and it is important to continue in that way” she underlined. Minister Fatma Mint Vall Soueinae also commended the work done to elaborate the framework document for Agenda 2063 with the view to enhance Africa’s development. She called on the Member States to contribute in ensuring the full implementation of this agenda.

Dr. Carlos Lopes, UN Under Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) welcomed the choice of theme of the 24th AU Summit while acknowledging and paying tribute to the “female leaders who have been fighting for the continent’s recognition as a key player in the work arena. He stressed on the capacity of Africa to achieve its commitments for development under Agenda 2063. “Africa is still one of the fastest growing regions in the world and this development is totally opposite to the economic stagnation that can be observed in some developed countries,” Mr. Lopes said. He added that “Africa is at a turning point and the new African narrative is alive and now well, but it is still a little shaky, and we absolutely cannot allow any coughs or sniffles to turn into an epidemic.”
Composed of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of AU member States, The Executive Council is charged with the responsibility of preparing the work of the Assembly of Heads of States and Governments. The outcomes of this session will be presented during the 24th Ordinary Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union to take place on 30-31 January 2015, for adoption.
Journalists wishing to interview the leadership of the AU Commission during the Summit should submit their requests to Mrs Esther Azaa Tankou E-mail: YambouE@africa-union.org
EAT/
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
Follow the AU Commission:
Face book: https://www.facebook.com/AfricanUnionCommission
Twitter: https://twitter.com/_AfricanUnion
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/AUCommission
Learn more at: http://www.au.int

Her Excellency, Fatma Vall Mint Soueinae Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania and Chairperson of the Executive Council.
Honorable Ministers Members of the Executive Council,
Your Excellency Carlos Lopez, Executive Secretary of the UN ECA,
Your Excellency Erastus Mwencha, Deputy Chairperson of the AU Commission and Fellow Commissioners,
Honorable Members of the PRC,
Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Officials from the capitals of Member states
Representatives of the AU Organs and Leaders of the RECs
Invited Guests,
I welcome my Sister, Fatma Vall Mint Soueinae, the new Foreign Minister of Mauritania to this small, but ever-increasing number of women in the African Union.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the AU headquarters once more for the 26th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council. A very warm welcome to the new Honorable Ministers who have joined us and we look forward to working very closely with them. Since we see most of you for the first time this year, a very happy 2015, that this year will be better than the last and that all your wishes are fulfilled through all our efforts.

The Annual report on the activities of the Commission in 2014 has been submitted for your consideration. The report highlights the work of the Commission on Agenda 2063 and steps undertaken, with the RECs and Member states, to accelerate continental integration and realize the aspirations of the peoples for a united, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its people and acting as a dynamic force in global affairs.
After two years of consultations, with civil society, the Diaspora, the citizens, experts and planners, governments of Member States, the RECs and AU organs, we are presenting Agenda 2063 for adoption by this Summit. We will also report on the work in progress with regards to the first Agenda 2063 10-year plan so that it can be ready for adoption at the June Summit.
Soon after the Summit we shall convene a meeting of the RECs, sectoral experts, civil society and planners from Member states, to do more work on the 10-year plan as well as the process of integration and domestication of Agenda 2063 in national and regional development plans.
The work on the 10-year Plan means a concerted shift towards focusing on implementation of this continental vision. A number of critical issues arise from this, which we would like to bring to the attention of the Executive Council.
Firstly, as mandated by Malabo, we have done work on the Agenda 2063 flagship projects, which will be covered in the report of the Bahir Dar Ministerial Follow-up committee. These flagship integration projects - such as the Single Aviation Market; the Grand Inga Dam and other energy projects, the Pan African University; the high-speed rail and road network project; Pan e-Network, the Continental Free Trade Area, the African passport and the Commodities strategy, the Malabo Plan on Agriculture - should form the basis of this 10 year plan – and must signal decisive movement in areas of continental priority.
The centrality of human development and security in all of this cannot be over-estimated, as we are learning the hard lessons from the Ebola Virus Outbreak on the need to have resilient public health systems, and for integrated responses.
Secondly, we will review the capacity required for the implementation of Agenda 2063, through a study led by the African Capacity Building Foundation. This includes the institutional capacities required by Member states, RECs and the AU, as well as civil society. It will look at the broader African human resource context: the technical, professional and other skills - but especially in the areas of science, technology, engineering, research, project management and innovation - required for the implementation of the various flagship project and our vision as a whole.
In the areas where we have skills deficits, we will have to take continental and regional approaches, such as we are doing through the Pan African University, our focus on virtual education and also draw on skills from our Diaspora. We will continue engagements with the African university, vocational and private sectors on these issues, such as at the upcoming Higher Education Summit in Dakar in March this year.
Thirdly, we must assess the institutional appropriateness of the current AU structures, processes and working methods for the implementation of Agenda 2063. Work has started on a comparative study between the AU and other similar regional organisations. In addition, we must also look at rationalization of work between the AU Commission, the NEPAD Agency and the RECs, so that we have more efficient division of labour and stronger complementarity in the implementation of Agenda 2063. Of course, we must even look at our working methods, how the RECs participate as building blocks of integration in how they participate in AU meetings, and we must look at this in our closed session.
Fourthly, integration remains central to our continental vision. We are encouraged by ongoing initiatives within and across regions to accelerate infrastructure development, and agreements implemented on free trade zones or the free movement of people and goods. I must commend ECOWAS and the East African Community in this regard who are leading the way, and other RECs should be accelerating their processes.
We will present a comprehensive report on the State of Integration in the context of Agenda 2063 to the June summit for discussions, with lessons from the different RECs, as well as areas requiring concerted push.
Fifthly, we shall continue to highlight domestic resource mobilisation as a critical success factor - to ensure predictable funding of our institutions and programmes, ranging from funding of elections, integration, project preparations for infrastructure and implementation of the African Mining Vision, to mention a few. The report of the Ministers of Economy and Finance on alternative sources of funding the AU will serve before this Summit and our sister Min. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala will present this as Chair of the CAMEF. In addition, the upcoming meeting of the Ministers of Economy and Finance meeting in March will look at the broader issue of funding for Agenda 2063. Later this year, Ethiopia will host the global conference on development financing, and our Ministers of Economy and Finance will also prepare for this.
Excellencies, as we prepare for the implementation of Agenda 2063 at all levels, as governments, RECs and civil society, we have to pay attention to the risks (both internal and external) that we face on the road. The detailed Agenda 2063 Transformation Framework mentions some, including the grave risk if we fail to silence the guns and neutralize the threats of terrorism, intolerance and extremism; the risk of slow movement on integration, infrastructure and diversification of our economies due to both internal and external challenges; and the largest risk, failure to finance our development. It is not enough to identify the risks, we must go the next step to plan what to do to mitigate these risks, and we will therefore prepare for a discussion at the next session of the Executive Council on this.
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlmen
Population projections estimate that by the time we celebrate the first centenary of the founding of the OAU/AU, Africa will be the most youthful continent in the world (and Im sure most of us will be there during these celebrations!).
I have said many times before: these projections are an opportunity to urgently scale up investments in our young people to prepare them to assume a leadership role in all aspects of human endeavor, especially in entrepreneurship, science, innovation, technology, in politics.
This can be achieved. Take the internet. Africa’s young women and men have wholly embraced the revolution in the technologies of information. Many have become innovators and entrepreneurs in their own right. Across the continent, opening an internet school or a cyber-café, or developing a mobile application, has become the first order of business for many young entrepreneurs as well as a job provider for many more looking for a job.
Unfortunately, the youth has set to us that one of their biggest handicaps is access to startup capital, and internet services across the continent remain a serious obstacle to the development of this predominantly youth-led sector. There are pockets of success, but we need to do much more.
We must do more and better for African youth. Our report on the activities of the Commission outlines a number of measures for your consideration, including increasing investments in education in science and technology, skills development through vocational training, and better treatment of teachers, not to mention lowering the cost of access to internet services and expanding internet coverage to enable virtual education in order to massify access to further and higher education. This Summit should also consider other recommendations from the Ougadougou+10 process.
These measurers aimed at giving our young people a stake in their countries and continent, are the surest way of tackling the problem of African youth migration and trafficking, and them falling prey to extremism. Trafficking is just the modern form of slavery.
On the whole, there is much that remains to be done on the socio-economic front. But I am encouraged by the progress we are realized, particularly on some of the key Millennium Development Goals, including access to education, the reduction of maternal and infant mortality, reduction of poverty and progress on gender equality. But more needs to be done.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The AU efforts for peace, stability and the consolidation of democracy and good governance are also paying off. Through the African Peace and Security Architecture, working closely with Member states, the RECs and international partners, we were able to address crisis situations before they become entrenched and took too many lives of our people.
However, I am deeply horrified by the tragedy Boko Haram continue to inflict on our people, kidnapping young girls from school, torching villages, terrorizing whole communities and the senseless killing. We should all declare this state of affairs as unacceptable!
Furthermore, what started off as a localized criminal gang is now spreading into West and Central Africa. We must act now, and act collectively against this progressing threat. We must work diligently towards silencing the guns by the year 2020, and nip in the bud this threat to African prosperity, peace and human security.
I thank the Government of Chad for its readiness to assist Cameroon in this fight. The Commission has accelerated its ongoing consultations with member states, the RECs and other partners on how to deal with Boko Haram and it will be on the agenda of the Peace and Security Council, who will report to Summit.
This is not just a threat to some countries. It is a threat to the whole continent. It is a global threat that must be met globally, but with Africa in the lead.
Let me take this opportunity to again express our deep appreciation to our peacekeepers, our men and women in uniform across the continent, for their heroic contribution to peace and to service of their continent and its people. We should have a monument for our AU peacekeepers who have lost their lives in the duty of the peoples of the continent. I hope this can be discussed and that we should have a decision.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Despite the challenges, we should not loose sight of the progress in the areas of democracy, good governance and human rights. Throughout 2014, we had generally peaceful elections and successful transitions. And where contestations took place, they usually followed the legal framework and confined themselves to the courts.
The outcome of these electoral processes reinforces our conviction that the involvement of the African citizenry in owning and taking responsibility for their destiny is critical to the realization of Agenda 2063 and a prosperous and peaceful Africa.
Excellencies,

After some initial setbacks, our collective fight against the Ebola Virus Disease gathered momentum and is showing results.
I wish to express my profound gratitude to the Heads of State and Government, to this Council, the RECs, civil society organizations, and, especially, fellow Africans for their positive, rapid and effective response to the call for African health workers to be deployed in the three Ebola-affected countries. So far, over 800 medical and health professionals in the field in the three countries and will scale that up to 1000. It is paying off, as we begin to see the decline in mortality and infections.
We must pay special tribute to young men and women that volunteered in the AU-ASEOWA and ECOWAS mission in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, as a demonstration the spirit of Pan Africanism and solidarity. The first volunteers were individuals, who gave up their jobs and volunteers.
My thanks also go to the captains of industries and business leaders from various parts of Africa and businesses operating on the continent. We are working closely with them to mobilise resources to keep our health workers on the ground until the countries are officially Ebola-free, and in the medium to longterm help build health resilience through the African Centre for Disease Control.
We also thank the telecommunication companies on the continent in December 2014 launched an SMS campaign with us aimed at reaching out to ordinary Africans and seeking their contribution to Africa’s fight against Ebola. The campaign is going well and is now running in over thirty of our Member states. This is a campaign that every single African country should be part of. I don’t understand why it is only thirty something and not fifty something. We therefore call on the countries that have not joined yet, to become part of this African solidarity effort and enable African citizens to contribute.
I also want to pay tribute to the Commission and the Commissioner, the AU staff, ECOWAS and General Julius Oketta, who leads THE AU-ASEOWA efforts. I also thank the UNECA and ADB, who are part of all our efforts on Ebola.
Honorable Ministers,
Looking ahead, our theme for 2015 is the Year of Women’s Empowerment and Development towards Agenda 2063. Over the last few days, in a series of pre-Summit meetings of women, with participation from civil society, our Ministers of Gender, gender focal points of RECs, our partners in the ADB, UNECA, UN Women and UNDP met to consider the theme and the Beijing plus 20 process.
They discussed the practical actions required to ensure that during this focus year, we make a difference in the lives of many African women, through practical initiatives in agriculture and agro-processing; science, technology, innovation and education; business development and financial inclusion; health and reproductive rights, and our campaigns against gender-based violence, sexual violence in conflicts and child marriages.
We must also do more this year to increase the representation of women in government, in the judiciary and other public and private institutions and their participation at the tables in peace negotiations.
I am quite sure that although this is a year of women, it is about our entire communities. That is why we look to you, our dear Brothers to ensure that we work together to achieve objectives of the year.
After this year, we must really have an irreversible momentum towards the emancipation of women on the continent.
Excellencies,
We are concluding the Year of Agriculture and Food Security, with a much better sense of what needs to be done: including improving women’s access to land; provision of rural infrastructure such as roads, irrigation; access to agricultural inputs, markets and finances for especially small holder farmers; modernization of agricultural tools and mitigation and adaptation to climate change.
Yesterday, we attended the 3rd Conference of Parties of the African Risk Capacity, and it is an example that we should look at as part of our success stories. Firstly, this is pooled resources of Member states to address an African problem; secondly they work to strengthen capacity in Member states; and thirdly they have already started paying out to Member states facing drought this year.
The global negotiations on the post-2015 agenda, on climate change and sustainable development goals make this a critical year for Africa, and we must ensure that we remain united and take forward our common African positions.
IN CONCLUSION
We take inspiration from the resolve we have collectively demonstrated in the responses of our people in the formulation of Agenda 2063, in the fight against Ebola, and in the ongoing and collective work to build a better life for all Africans.
During our Emergency Executive meeting in September, the Minister of Sudan suggested that the Commission gives some of its budget to the Ebola affected countries, we pointed towards the difficulties. But it made us thought what we can do, and thus the Commission convened the Business roundtable on Ebola in November 2014 and started the SMS campaign with mobile network operators.
The Commission takes seriously your suggestions, and we look forward to another vibrant and fruitful session of this 26th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council.

Press Release

NEPAD joins AU in the fight against Ebola – Clinical vaccine trials underway

Addis Ababa, January 26, 2015 – The interventions taken by the NEPAD Agency in the fight against Ebola were a top priority at the NEPAD Steering Committee meeting yesterday, on the side-lines of the 24th African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa. They are part of the AU’s Response to the Ebola Epidemic in West Africa (ASEOWA).

Professor Aggrey Ambali, Head and Advisor of NEPAD Science, Technology and Innovation Hub (NSTIH) said that emphasis is placed on mobilising African countries to put in place conducive and enabling environments for conducting clinical trials to test the candidate vaccines and other therapies against Ebola.

In his presentation to the Steering Committee members, Professor Ambali urged that most of the National Medicines Regulatory Agencies (NMRAs) and ethics committees are currently experiencing difficulties in providing ethics clearance and regulatory oversight on clinical trials conducted in the member states.

For instance, there are several ethical and policy issues that need to be resolved in order to collect and transport whole blood and plasma from Ebola patients in the concerned countries.

The NEPAD Agency through its African Medicines Regulatory Harmonisation (AMRH) programme is working with Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and National Medicines Regulatory Agencies (NMRAs) to mobilise the required capacity for clinical trials oversight and ethical clearances.
Through the support of the NEPAD Agency and the World Health Organization (WHO), the East African Community (EAC) is conducting a joint evaluation of a candidate Ebola vaccine which will be held on February 2 to 4. Targeted countries for the clinical trials are Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, while the joint evaluation will be carried out by all the five member states of the EAC.
The NEPAD Agency is also working with the West Africa Health Organization (WAHO) of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to establish a regional experts working group on trials for Ebola Vaccine and other promising treatment options in order to accelerate their evaluation. The Working Group will be established early next month.

It is expected that the joint reviews in the two regions will not only fast-track the approval process for the vaccine trials but also serve as a mechanism for strengthening regulatory systems and ethical standards in Africa.
The clinical trials for two candidate Ebola vaccines are currently underway in West Africa and there are several more in the pipeline.

About the AMRH Programme

NEPAD’s AMRH programme sets and improves standards and requirements for regulation and access to quality and safe drugs for African citizens. Key interventions include the harmonisation of medicines regulations among RECs as well as policy and regulatory reforms.

For more information and to arrange interviews, please contact:
Abiola Ajayi

NEPAD Communications
Abiolaa@nepad.org
+ 251 92918 0048

PRESS RELEASE Nº07/ 24thAU SUMMIT
AUC Secretary General and the Director of Information and Communication brief the press on the state of preparation of the 24THAU Summit
Addis Ababa, 26 January 2015-Ambassador Jean Mfasoni, Secretary General of the AU Commission and Mrs. Habiba Mejri-Cheikh, Director of Information and Communication of the African Union on 26 January 2015 briefed the continental and international journalists on the agenda of event of the Summit so as to prepare them for the media coverage during the 24th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the African Union.

Mrs Habiba Mejri-Cheikh started with a brief on the modalities of coverage during the Summit. She highlighted the fact that the accreditation of media to cover the Summit is done in collaboration with the Ethiopian Government. “The AUC-DIC and the Ethiopian authorities are working hand in hand to ensure the good visibility of the Summit”, she said. She presented the modalities for media accreditation and the useful tips to enable the journalists do their work successfully. This included: measures to access the plenary hall for coverage, cooperation with the AU security officers to facilitate and ensure smooth access to information for their news reporting as well as the media center facilities put at their disposal by the AUC to enable them file their stories timely. (Tips available on AU Web Site: www.au.int)

The AUC Secretaries General on the other hand presented the program of the Summit to the journalists. He insisted on the item on Agenda 2063. He also provided to the journalists some explanations on the African Union efforts to eradicate the Ebola in countries affected by these epidemics. Ambassador Mfasoni stated that another burning issue that will be discussed during this Summit is the state of peace and security within the Continent. In that regard, he said that a report on the state on the fight against terrorism in Africa will be presented.

The press conference ended with a Questions and Answers session which provided the AUC Secretary General and the Director of Information and Communication to clarify the inquiries and preoccupation of the journalists with respect to some agenda items of the Summit to enable them get a good background of the different thematic areas while covering the Summit.

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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