SAHARAWI PRIME MINISTER RECEIVES THE AU DELEGATION
IN CAMPAIGN FOR ECOSOCC ELECTIONS

Refugees Tindouf Camp, Sahrawi Republic: 13 October 2014 – The Prime Minister of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) H.E. Mr.Abdelkader Taleb Omar has received in audience on the 13th October 2014 the African Union delegation who arrived in SADR within the framework of the ongoing sensitization and motivation campaign for the election of the 2nd General Assembly of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council of the African Union (ECOSOCC).
The Prime Minister appreciated the commitment of the African Union (AU) and the continuous support to his country. He noted that Saharawi Republic is looking forward to exchange experiences with other African countries in differents sectors, highlighting the role of civil society organizations in Saharawi community as well as the leading role of women. The Prime Minister assured that Saharawi Republic will not spare efforts in supporting AU activities and programmes, underlining that Saharawi Republic has been involved in almost all activities carried out by the AU Commission.
In the honor of AU delegation in visit to Saharawi Republic a dinner has been organized with the Prime Minister H.E. Abdelkader Taleb Omar. The Minister of Cooperation, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the President of the the CSOs plateforme and the Sahrawi Ambassador to the AU attended also this meeting.
The team led by Mr. Jalel Chelba, from the Civil Society Division of the African Union, briefed the Sahrawi Prime Minister on the objectives of the sensitization campaign as mandated by the Malabo Summit of Heads of State and Government in June 2014. He said the aim is to encourage the Sahrawi civil society to take active part in the upcoming election of the 2nd General Assembly of the ECOSOCC scheduled to take place at the end of the year 2014. He added that AU has undertaken a continental sensitization campaign which touched around thirty African countries and that the campaign will conclude next week in Mauritania. it is to be recalled that the Sensitization meeting in Sahrawi Republic took place on 13th October 2014 in “Residencia Martir Tamek Center” and was attended by an important number of civil society organizations. Addressing the sensitization meeting, H.E. Mr. Brahim Mojtar, Minister for Cooperation, underscored the importance for Saharawi civil society to participate in the upcoming ECOSOCC elections and called CSOs to make its voice heard beyond the local level.
In his speech to the meeting, the AU Representative highly appreciated the efforts made by Saharawi Republic to ensure the success of the mission at both the official and the civil society levels. Mr. Chelba thanked the Saharawi civil society organizations for collaboration and for their strong engagement to participate in the ECOSOCC elections. He also thanked H.E. Lamine Baali, Ambassador of Saharawi Republic in Ethiopia for the efforts to assist in the success of the mission.
It is to be recalled that during the visit to Saharawi Republic, the delegation met with four Ministers including three women in charge of Education, Women and Social Affairs and Public Service as well as the Governor of Samara Camp. Mrs. Azza Babyh, Mrs. Khira Bellahi, Adviser to the Presidency, and Mrs Fatma El Mehdi, the Secretary General of the Sahrawi National Union of Women. Field visits have been undertaken during the mission to educational institutions as well as to hospitals in Saharawi Republic.
The ECOSOCC continental Sensitization and Motivation campaign will end in Nouakchott, Mauritania from 15 to 18 October 2014.

For further information please contact:
Mr. Jalel Chelba, Head of Civil Society Division, African Union Commission
Email: jalelc@africa-union.org , ECOSOCC@africa-union.org
Mr. Gamal Ahmed A. Karrar, Directorate of Information and Communication, African Union Commission, e-mail: gamalk@africa-union.org or gamal90@gmail.com , Mobile number: +213799470136
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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