Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2 July 2018: The African Union and the United Nations, with the support of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, and with the participation of the AU Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security, H.E. Bineta Diop, the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, H.E. Amina J. Mohammed, and the Executive Director of UN Women, H.E. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, who will travel to South Sudan, Chad and Niger, starting 3 July, in a joint AU-UN visit with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, H.E. Ms. Margot Wallström.

Their visit will highlight women’s participation and leadership in peace, security and development in the three countries, with an additional focus on climate security and the Sahel.

In South Sudan on 3-4 July, the AU Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security and the UN Deputy Secretary-General will have bilateral meetings with authorities in Juba. They will visit a protection of civilians’ site, a hospital that treats victims of gender-based violence, and community resilience programmes, and hold meetings with women’s leaders, including members of the “African Women Leaders Network” (AWLN), religious leaders and civil society groups, among others.

In Chad on 5-6 July, the AU Special Envoy and the UN Deputy Secretary-General will have bilateral meetings with authorities in N’Djamena. They will travel to a project site to meet with communities adapting to climate change and meet with religious, youth and women’s groups.
In Niger on 7-8 July, the joint UN-AU delegation will have bilateral meetings with authorities in Niamey. They will also meet with leaders of women’s groups, AWLN Members and visit a women’s health centre.

Her Excellency Minister Margot Wallström will join the joint UN-AU delegation in Chad and Niger.

The joint UN-AU Delegation will also be accompanied on different legs of the trip by senior AU and UN Officials, including H.E. Ambassador Prof. Joram Mukama Biswaro, Special Representative of the AU Chairperson to South Sudan; H.E. Madame Zaina Nyiramatama, Head of the AU Liaison Office in Chad; Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka; the Executive Director of the UN Population Fund, Natalia Kanem; the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Africa, Bience Gawanas. Members of the “African Women Leaders Network” based in South Sudan, Chad and Niger will also participate in the activities of the joint mission, to resonate women’s voices for transformative change, adopted through the Network’s “Call to Action.”

The AU Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security and the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General are undertaking their visit to the three countries after they participate in the 31st AU Summit, taking place in Nouakchott, Mauritania, on 1-2 July.

This is their second effort to lead a joint UN-AU Delegation in Africa for peace, security and sustainable development. Last year, the joint delegation visited Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The AU Special Envoy and the UN Deputy Secretary-General are expected back in New York on 9 July. On 10 July, they will brief the Security Council together on the topic of women, peace and security in the Sahel. The Council debate will be under the presidency of HE Minister Ms. Wallström, with Sweden holding the Council’s rotating presidency in July. The AU Peace and Security Council will also be briefed,

For any enquiry:
Dr. Jean-Bosco BUTERA, Special Adviser and Chief of Staff, Office of The Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security, African Union Commission Buteraj@africa-union.org
Ms. Verlaine-Diane SOOBROYDOO, Policy Adviser on Women, Peace and Security at the Permanent Observer Mission of the African Union to the United Nations Verlaine.soobroydoo@unwomen.org

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

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