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Events

  • Event
    Celebration of the African Day of the Seas and Oceans
    July 25, 2016

    MEDIA ADVISORY

    CELEBRATION OF THE AFRICAN DAY OF THE SEAS AND OCEANS

    INVITATION TO MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES

    When: 25 July, 2016

  • Event
    Consultative Meeting on the Implementation of the AU Transitional Justice Policy Framework as part of the Action Plan...
    December 16, 2015 to December 18, 2015

    What:
    Expert Consultation on African Transitional Justice Policy Framework, African Union Project 2016, And Human Rights and Transitional Justice Cluster’s Meeting;

  • Event
    Ministerial Meeting of the Second Specialized Technical Committee (STC) on Justi
    November 12, 2015

    Ministerial Meeting of the Second Specialized Technical Committee (STC) on Justice and Legal Affairs Convenes at the AUC
    Go to attachments

    PRESS RELEASE Nº335/2015

  • Event
    African Court on Human And Peoples’ Rights Begins 39th Ordinary Session In Aru
    November 09, 2015 to November 20, 2015

    PRESS RELEASE

    AFRICAN COURT ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES’ RIGHTS BEGINS 39TH ORDINARY SESSION IN ARUSHA 9-20 NOVEMBER

  • Event
    The 2nd session of the Specialized Technical Committee (STC) on Justice and Legal Affairs
    November 04, 2015

    The 2nd session of the Specialized Technical Committee (STC) on Justice and Legal Affairs
    Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2nd November 2015: The meeting of legal experts of the Specialized Technical Committee (STC) on Justice and Legal Affairs commenced on 2nd November 2015 at the AUC Headquarters in Addis Ababa Ethiopia.
    The STC experts’ session will consider draft legal instruments in order to verify their legality for adoption by the policy organs of the Union. This second session is taking place as continuation within the framework of the operationalization of the Specialized Technical Committees of the African Union in accordance with various Decisions of the Policy Organs of the Union that took place in May 2014.

    Addressing the opening, Prof. Vincent O. Nmehielle, the Legal Counsel and Director for Legal Affairs of the African Union Commission urged the delegates to reflect on ways to make the Union more functional by narrowing down discussions on issues such as the institutionalization of a Pan African Arbitration mechanism which should be designed to bring about an African imprint on alternative dispute resolution.

    In the same vein he called upon delegates to put under consideration what can be done to establish a continental Court of Arbitration in Africa
    “The continent currently lacks an active body for resolution of disputes which drives Member states to look to institutions outside the continent for the resolution of their arbitral disputes” reaffirmed Professor. Nmehielle.
    Mr. Nkurayija Jean Marie Vianney, General Rapporteur, recalled some of the decisions and recommendations made by the members of the Bureau during the Bureau meeting in preparation for the Experts’ Meeting. Among other recommendations, he called upon the Office of the Legal Counsel to come up with a Guideline on legislative drafting within the AU.

    The STCs, which are technical organs of the Union, were established under Article 25 of the African Economic Community Treaty (the Abuja Treaty). With the transformation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) into the African Union Commission (AUC), the STCs were carried over by the Constitutive Act of the African Union under Articles 14 to 16.

    The government legal experts will examine draft legal instruments and prepare them for the Ministerial session expected to begin on 11 November 2015. The outcome of the STC meeting will be submitted to the forthcoming session of AU Policy Organs to be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in January 2016.
    HBS/BM/AMT

    For further information contact:
    Mrs. Chinonyelum Esther Uwazie Tel: +251-11-5517700, E-mail: UwazieC@africa-union.org Legal Officer, Office of Legal Counsel | African Union Commission
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    About the African Union

  • Event
    Fourth Annual African Union-International Criminal Court (AU-ICC) Joint Seminar
    October 23, 2015

    MEDIA ADVISORY
    Fourth Annual African Union-International Criminal Court (AU-ICC) Joint Seminar
    INVITATION TO REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MEDIA

    What: The Fourth Annual AU-ICC joint seminar

    Who: African Union Commission and International Criminal Court

    When: Friday, 23th October, 2015 (Small Conference Hall) @10am

    Where: African Union Commission Headquarters, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Objectives:
    i. To continue dialogue and exchange of views between the ICC and the AU;
    ii. To explore further avenues of engagement, cooperation and coordination in the framework of the complementarity principle enshrined in the Rome Statute;
    iii. To enhance understanding and respect for the respective mandates of the ICC and the AU;
    iv. To identify areas of mutual interest and concern and explore possibilities for synergies, including sharing of experiences and lessons learned on issues such as Sexual and Gender Based Crimes and Protection of Children in Armed Conflict;
    v. To exchange views on the relationship between the ICC and the proposed African Court of Justice and Human Rights and assess the critical challenges that both Institutions will face in their investigation and prosecution of serious crimes;
    vi. To develop possible strategies or practical actions for ICC-AU cooperation and discuss possible practical recommendations.
    Participants:
    • Participants from the AU Commission and Ambassadors and legal advisors from the Permanent Missions of the African Union Member States;
    • The Coordinator of the African Group of States Parties at the United Nations, New York;
    • ICC officials from Presidency, the Office of the Prosecutor and the Registry;
    • As observers, donors contributing to the seminar (Organisation internationale de la Francophonie and the European Union).

    Background: The first three Joint Seminars between the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the African Union (AU) were held in Addis Ababa on 18-19 July 2011, 17-18 October 2012 and 7-8 July 2014, respectively.

    The three Seminars brought together ICC experts, AU Commission staff, as well as Ambassadors and legal advisors of the Permanent Missions of the African Union Member States in Addis Ababa.

    These Seminars were intended to facilitate dialogue and provide an opportunity for frank and open discussions between the ICC and the AU, with a view to fostering understanding of the respective mandates of the two institutions, discussing issues of mutual interest and strengthening the relationship between the two institutions.

    Following the positive outcome of the 2014 Seminar, as well as consultations between the Court and the AU Commission, the need and desirability to hold a fourth ICC-AU Joint Seminar in 2015 was identified.

    Media representatives are invited to cover the event.

    For media enquiry, please contact:
    Tankou Azaa Esther Yambou: Head of Information Division, Directorate of Information and Communication, African Union Commission |
    Tel: +251(0) 911361185, E-mail: YambouE@african-union.org
    For more information, please contact:
    Adewale E. Iyanda: Legal Officer, Office of Legal Counsel, African Union Commission
    Tel: +251 (0) 911506767, E-mail: ADEWALEI@africa-union.org
    For further information:
    Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@african-union.org I Web Site: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia
    Follow us
    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

  • Event
    Fourth Annual African Union-International Criminal Court (AU-ICC) Joint Seminar
    October 23, 2015

    MEDIA ADVISORY
    Fourth Annual African Union-International Criminal Court (AU-ICC) Joint Seminar
    INVITATION TO REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MEDIA

    What: The Fourth Annual AU-ICC joint seminar

    Who: African Union Commission and International Criminal Court

    When: Friday, 23th October, 2015 (Small Conference Hall) @10am

    Where: African Union Commission Headquarters, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Objectives:
    i. To continue dialogue and exchange of views between the ICC and the AU;
    ii. To explore further avenues of engagement, cooperation and coordination in the framework of the complementarity principle enshrined in the Rome Statute;
    iii. To enhance understanding and respect for the respective mandates of the ICC and the AU;
    iv. To identify areas of mutual interest and concern and explore possibilities for synergies, including sharing of experiences and lessons learned on issues such as Sexual and Gender Based Crimes and Protection of Children in Armed Conflict;
    v. To exchange views on the relationship between the ICC and the proposed African Court of Justice and Human Rights and assess the critical challenges that both Institutions will face in their investigation and prosecution of serious crimes;
    vi. To develop possible strategies or practical actions for ICC-AU cooperation and discuss possible practical recommendations.
    Participants:
    • Participants from the AU Commission and Ambassadors and legal advisors from the Permanent Missions of the African Union Member States;
    • The Coordinator of the African Group of States Parties at the United Nations, New York;
    • ICC officials from Presidency, the Office of the Prosecutor and the Registry;
    • As observers, donors contributing to the seminar (Organisation internationale de la Francophonie and the European Union).

    Background: The first three Joint Seminars between the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the African Union (AU) were held in Addis Ababa on 18-19 July 2011, 17-18 October 2012 and 7-8 July 2014, respectively.

    The three Seminars brought together ICC experts, AU Commission staff, as well as Ambassadors and legal advisors of the Permanent Missions of the African Union Member States in Addis Ababa.

    These Seminars were intended to facilitate dialogue and provide an opportunity for frank and open discussions between the ICC and the AU, with a view to fostering understanding of the respective mandates of the two institutions, discussing issues of mutual interest and strengthening the relationship between the two institutions.

    Following the positive outcome of the 2014 Seminar, as well as consultations between the Court and the AU Commission, the need and desirability to hold a fourth ICC-AU Joint Seminar in 2015 was identified.

    Media representatives are invited to cover the event.

    For media enquiry, please contact:
    Tankou Azaa Esther Yambou: Head of Information Division, Directorate of Information and Communication, African Union Commission |
    Tel: +251(0) 911361185, E-mail: YambouE@african-union.org
    For more information, please contact:
    Adewale E. Iyanda: Legal Officer, Office of Legal Counsel, African Union Commission
    Tel: +251 (0) 911506767, E-mail: ADEWALEI@africa-union.org
    For further information:
    Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@african-union.org I Web Site: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia
    Follow us
    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

  • Event
    Fourth Forum on International Law and African Union Law
    October 19, 2015 to October 20, 2015

    The theme for the Fourth Edition of the AUCIL forum was: “The challenges of ratification and implementation of treaties in Africa”.

  • Event
    Legal opinion on the legality in the context of international law of actions allegedly taken in the exploration and/or...
    October 15, 2015

    LEGAL OPINION ON THE LEGALITY IN THE CONTEXT OF INTERNATIONAL LAW, INCLUDING THE RELEVANT UNITED NATIONS RESOLUTIONS AND OAU/AU DECISIONS, OF ACTIONS ALLEGEDLY TAKEN BY THE MOROCCAN AUTHORITIES OR ANY OTHER STATE, GROUP OF STATES, FOREIGN COMPANIES OR ANY OTHER ENTITY IN THE EXPLORATION AND/OR EXPLOITATION OF RENEWABLE AND NON-RENEWABLE NATURAL RESOURCES OR ANY OTHER ECONOMIC ACTIVITY IN WESTERN SAHARA

    “the Legal Opinion in other AU Working Languages will be available soon”

  • Event
    Meeting of the open ended Committee of African Ministers on International Criminal Court (ICC), New York, USA
    September 27, 2015

    MEDIA ADVISORY

    Meeting of the open ended Committee of African Ministers on International Criminal Court (ICC), New York, USA

    What: Meeting of the open ended Committee of African Ministers on International Criminal Court (ICC), holding on the margins of the 70th anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, USA.

    When: Sunday 27 September 2015

    Time: From 10:00 – 12 :00 noon EST

    Where: Permanent Observer Mission of the AU to the UN - 305 East 47th street 5th floor 3 Dag Hammarskjold plaza

    Who: The event organized by the African Union Commission (AUC), Office of the Legal Counsel.
    Objective: The purpose of the meeting will be, among others, to determine the Bureau of the Ministerial Committee, engage with the African Group in New York with a view to developing strategies to implement the decisions of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government.

    Why: The Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) held at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 12 October 2013 adopted Decision Ext/Assembly/Dec.1(Oct. 2013) on Africa’s relationship with the International Criminal Court (ICC).

    Participants: As at 4 September 2015, the Member States that have indicated interest in serving on the Open ended Ministerial Committee are as follows:

    Burundi, Chad, Cote D’Ivoire, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Namibia, Sudan, South Sudan, Zimbabwe and Senegal.

    Background:

    1. The meeting of the Open ended Committee of Ministers of Foreign Affairs on the International Criminal Court (ICC) is convened pursuant to Decision Assembly/AU/Dec. 586 (XXV) (herewith attached) adopted by the Assembly during its Twenty Fifth Ordinary Session held in Johannesburg, South Africa in June 2015 on the Update of the Commission on the Implementation of Previous Decisions on the ICC. 

    2. Paragraph 4 of the above cited decision provides as follows: “RECOMMENDS the formation of an open-ended Ministerial Committee of Ministers of Foreign Affairs”
    3. The purpose of the meeting will be, among others, to determine the Bureau of the Ministerial Committee, engage with the African Group in New York and the AU Permanent Observer Mission to the UN with a view to developing strategies to implement the decisions of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, in particular to:
    a. Follow up on the request made by the African Union to the United Nations Security Council on the suspension/deferral of proceedings against President Omar Al-Bashir and urge the UNSC to withdraw the referral case in the Sudan; and 

    b. Follow up on the decision of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government that requested the ICC to terminate or suspend the proceedings against Deputy President William Samoei Ruto of Kenya until the African concerns and proposals for amendments of the Rome Statute of the ICC are considered.

    The International Criminal Court (ICC) is established by a multilateral treaty – the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court – which was adopted by a diplomatic conference in 1998 and which came into force in July 2002. The ICC is an independent judicial institution. Unlike the ad hoc international criminal tribunals created by the United Nations Security Council (the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda), the ICC is not an organ of the United Nations although it has a cooperation agreement with the United Nations. As of May 2009, there are one hundred and twenty three (123) States that are parties to the Rome Statute, 34 of which are African States thereby making Africa the largest regional grouping of States parties. The African States Parties to the Rome Statute are:

    Senegal, 02 February 1999; Ghana, 20 December 1999; Mali, 16 August 2000; Lesotho, 06 September 2000; Botswana, 08 September 2000; Sierra Leone, 15 September 2000; Gabon, 20 September 2000; South Africa, 27 November 2000; Nigeria, 27 September 2001; Central African Republic, 03 October 2001; Benin, 22 January 2002; Mauritius, 05 March 2002;
    Democratic Republic of the Congo, 11 April 2002; Niger, 11 April 2002;
    Uganda, 14 June 2002; Namibia, 25 June 2002; Gambia, 28 June 2002;
    United Republic of Tanzania, 20 August 2002; Malawi, 19 September 2002; Djibouti, 05 November 2002; Zambia, 13 November 2002; Guinea, 14 July 2003; Burkina Faso, 16 April 2004; Congo, 03 May 2004; Burundi, 21 September 2004; Liberia, 22 September 2004; Kenya, 15 March 2005; Comoros, 01 November 2006; Chad, 01 January 2007; Madagascar, 14 March 2008; Seychelles, 10 August 2010; Tunisia, 24 June 2011; Cape Verde, 10 October 2011; and Côte d’Ivoire, 15 February 2013.

    EAT/

    For More information, please contact:

    Mr. Adewale Iyanda, Tel: +1 (202) 817 7135, E-mail: Adewalei@africa-union.org

    Media Queries contact:
    Esther Azaa Tankou, Head of Information Division, Directorate of Information and Communication, African Union Commission Tel: +1 646 546 7776 / +251 911361185, E-mail: yamboue@africa-union.org

  • Event
    1st Meeting of the Working Group to Develop the Model Law on Combating Illicit Trafficking in Cultural Goods
    September 25, 2015

    PRESS RELEASE Nº245/2015

    1st Meeting of the Working Group to Develop the Model Law on Combating Illicit Trafficking in Cultural Goods

    Midrand, South Africa, 22 September 2015 - A four- day Working Group Meeting to develop Model Law on Combating Illicit Trafficking in Cultural Goods kicked off on Tuesday 22 September 2015 at the Pan African Parliament (PAP) in Midrand, South Africa. The meeting was jointly organized by the AU Department of Social Affairs and the Office of the Legal Counsel and graciously hosted by the PAP.

    The Working Group meeting was attended by members of the Pan–African Parliament (MPs), Members of the African Union Commission on International Law, culture and legal experts, lawyers and legal drafters, curators, anthropologists, the AU Legal Counsel and staff from the Department of Social Affairs and the Office of the Legal Counsel.

    The opening session was addressed by Mr. Ahmed El Fadly, Co-Chair of the Africa- EU Partnership on Cultural Cooperation who mentioned that the Africa-EU initiative in establishing mechanisms to combat illicit trafficking in cultural goods has been a long journey which started with the adoption of the Africa-EU Assembly Decision in 2007 to carry out an inventory of all cooperation activities between Africa and EU with regards to cultural goods. He also mentioned that the convening of the 1st Meeting of the Working Group was timely since it was happening after the holding of the 1st Meeting of the Specialized Technical Committee on Youth, Culture and Sport (STC-YCS1) and the decision of the Executive Council adopting the report of the STC-YCS1.

    In her opening address, the Honorable Marie Danielle Selvon Member of the Pan-African Parliament Standing Committee on Education, Culture, Tourism and Human Resources pointed out that by developing the African Union Model Law on Combatting Illicit Trafficking in Cultural Goods, the African Union will be assisting in the promotion and preservation of Africa’s cultural heritage and contributing to the implementation of Aspiration 05 of the AU Agenda 2063 which is to have an Africa with a strong cultural identity, values and ethics and at the same time ensuring that our cultural and creative industries have a stronger contribution to the development of the Member States and the continent at large.

    In declaring the Meeting open, Prof. Vincent O. Nmehielle, the AU Legal Counsel noted that the Model Law will not only contribute to legislation and eventually jurisprudence in Africa but will also contribute to the protection of Africa’s rich history that is at the centre of, and embodies the cradle of human civilization. He then urged the Working Group to work hard to ensure the implementation of the decision of the Policy Organs of the African Union regarding the preservation of Africa’s rich cultural heritage.

    For any inquiry, please contact:

    Ms. Angela Martins, Head of Culture Division, Department of Social Affairs, African Union Commission, Email: MartinsA@africa-union.org; Cc:mekbiba@africa-union.org

    Ms. Chinonyelum Esther Uwazie, Legal Officer, Office of the Legal Counsel, African Union Commission, Email: UwazieC@africa-union.org

    Directorate of Information and Communication

    Directorate of Information and Communication | Information and Communication | African Union Commission
    Tel: +251-11-5517700 | Fax: | E-mail: DIC@africa-union.org | Web:www.au.int

    Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

  • Event
    9th Ordinary Session of the Steering Committee of the Funding of the African Extraordinary Chambers
    September 17, 2015

    9th ORDINARY SESSION OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE OF THE FUNDING OF THE AFRICAN EXTRAORDINARY CHAMBERS

    Dakar, 17 SEPTEMBER 2015 – The Ninth Ordinary Session of the Steering Committee for the Funding of the African Extraordinary Chamber for the trial of Mr. Hissene Habre former president of Chad from 1982 until 1990, took place in Dakar, Senegal on 17 September 2015. Professor Vincent O. Nmehielle the Legal Counsel of the African Union chaired the 9th ordinary session of the Steering Committee on behalf of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma.

    The Session, which held just days after the resumption of Mr. Habre’s trial, which was postponed for 45 days to enable the lawyers appointed to defend Mr. Habre to prepare for the trial, considered the Activities and Financial Reports of the Chamber for the period of January to June 2015, issues surrounding the trial, and the third quarter report of the outreach programme on the trial, among other issues on the agenda.

    Prior to the Steering Committee Meeting the African Union delegation attended a session of the hearing and held a consultative meeting with the President and the Judges of the Trial Chamber of the African Extraordinary Chambers on the progress of the trial. The African Union delegation also visited the special Prison where Mr. Habre has been detained since his arrest and indictment.

    It is worth recalling that the African Extraordinary Chambers is a special mechanism set up by the African Union and the Government of the Republic of Senegal to try those alleged to be most responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in Chad during the reign of president Habre from 1982 to 1990.

    Following the end of the investigation stage, the African Extraordinary Chambers confirmed the charges against Mr. Habre and the trial commenced in July 2015. The trial, however, had to be adjourned for up to 45 days to enable the lawyers appointed to defend Mr. Habre to acquaint themselves with the case. The trial resumed this September.

    For more information, please contact the Office of Legal Counsel of the AU at the following address: E-mail: gasparCF@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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