Addis Ababa, 07 October 2016: The Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), H.E. Erastus J.O. Mwencha, has signed, on behalf of the AUC, a Joint Partnership Agreement (JPA) with the Permanent Representatives of Australia, Canada, Sweden and the United States of America. The partnership agreement was supported by Spain and the United Kingdom and seeks to support the work of the Women, Gender and Development Directorate (WGDD) to implement its mandate of promoting gender equality and women empowerment.

This JFA/JPA will help further the realisation of Aspiration 6 of Agenda 2063, especially in attaining the objective of an Africa with full gender equality in all spheres of life. The fund will be used to foster Women’s Economic Empowerment, and in supporting further ratification and domestication of the Maputo Protocol.

In his opening address, His Excellency, the Deputy Chairperson expressed gratitude to the partners for supporting the AUC in its gender agenda and highlighted the importance of gender equality and women empowerment in achieving Agenda 2063. He also credited much of the AU’s success to the leadership and commitment of the Chairperson H.E Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma for this important agenda.

In response, the Ambassadors of the signatory countries reiterated their commitment to supporting the AU’s efforts towards gender equality and women empowerment. They thanked the AUC’s leadership and commended the role the AUC Chairperson H.E Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma continues to play in keeping gender at the top of the organisation’s agenda. It was acknowledged that without gender equality and women empowerment, the goals of the AU’s Agenda 2063 and Agenda 2030 on Sustainable Development might not be reached.

In her address, the Director of WGDD, Mrs. Mahawa Kaba Wheeler assured the partners of the AUC’s commitment to achieve the results for which this JFA/JPA is intended. She also expressed hope that more partners will come forward to join in the partnership agreement.