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General Events

African Union Commission Signs MOU with Journalists and Writers Foundation

Workshop on the First Ten-Year Action Plan on Agenda 2063

Social Justice

AU Ebola Volunteers Honoured Concept of Governance of the PAU: AUC

Commissioner in South Africa

Peace and Security

South Sudan peace talks

Understanding the AU

Directorate of Women, Gender and Development

Democratic Governance

AU Short-Term Observation Mission to Lesotho approved

Induction of Elected members of the ECOSOCC General Assembly

Deployment of a pre-election assessment mission to the Republic of Sudan approved

AU-Weekly Published by Oxfam Liaison Office to the AU

Feb. 23rd

- Mar. 6th

, 2015

HIGHLIGHTS

...keeping you updated

Economic Justice

AU customs experts discussed Single Window in Africa

Climate Change Negotiation: AUC Commissioner met UNEP Africa Regional Office Director

Green Revolution in Africa: AUC Commissioner visits AGRA

Agriculture and Innovation in Africa: Discussed by AUC Commissioner and German delegates

Up Coming Events

International Women’s Day (IWD) Open session on Mitigating Vulnerabilities of

Women, Children in Africa Women in Parliaments summit The 8th Joint Annual Meetings of the African Un-

ion Specialized Technical Committee Africa Climate Resilient Infrastructure Summit

(ACRIS)

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AUC General Events

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AU WEEKLY

African Union Commission Sign MOU with Journalists and Writers Foundation In order to strengthened cooperation and facili-tate development and integration of its agenda, African Union Commission (AUC) signed a Memo-randum of Understanding (MoU) with Journalists and Writers Foundation (JWF) on February 23rd, 2015. Through the MOU the AUC and JWF will partner in fostering Civil Society participation in policy, promote tolerance and coexistence on hu-man rights promotion, support the implementa-tion of the AUC Human Rights Strategy for Africa, and information.

Further reading: http://pa.au.int/en/content/african-union-commission-and-journalists-and-writers-foundation-sign-mou-strengthen-cooperation

Credit: AUC

AU Ebola Volunteers Honoured The

African Union honoured the first batch of African health volunteer workers who were deployed to Ebola affected countries under the African Union Support to the Ebola Outbreak in West Africa (ASEOWA) on Februrary 22nd 2015. During the Certificates of Service award ceremony in recognition of their humanitarian service, African Union Commission Chairperson, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma thanked the health workers for their pioneering role. “You personified Pan Afri-canism and solidarity. The African Union will stay the course until the affected countries are de-clared Ebola free. We are very happy that you un-dertook this mission”, she told them. Further reading: http://pages.au.int/sites/default/files/PR%20049-%20Returning%20health%20workers%2020150225.pdf

Workshop on the First Ten-Year Ac-tion Plan on Agenda 2063

More than 100 participants were gathered from March 2nd to 6th 2015, in Lusaka, Zam-bia to develop the 10-year Action Plan of the Agenda 2063. They reviewed targets, imple-mentation arrangement, Monitoring and Evaluation mechanisms and proposals on the financing options of Agenda 2063.H.E. Dr. Anthony Mothae Maruping, Commissioner for Economic Affairs AUC in his opening re-mark emphasized the importance of Mem-ber States and RECs support to achieving the goals of Agenda 2063. Further reading: http://www.au.int/en/content/lusaka-hosting-workshop-first-ten-year-plan-action-agenda-2063

Social Justice

Concept of Governance of the PAU: AUC Commissioner in South Africa In regards the hosting of the Pan African Uni-versity Space Institute, the Human Resource, Science and Technology (HRST) Commission-er, H.E. Dr. Martial De-Paul Ikounga met with senior officials from the Ministries of Higher Education and Training; Science and Technol-ogy and International Relations and Coopera-tion in the Republic of South Africa on March 2nd - 3rd 2015. They discussed the concept and governance of the PAU, and expectations of the South African government and institu-tions as the host of the PAU Space Institute. The Commissioner mentioned USA and EU interest in being thematic partners for this programme. Further reading: http://hrst.au.int/en/content/hrst-commissioner-s-mission-discuss-hosting-pan-african-university-institute-space

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Democratic Governance

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AU WEEKLY

AU Short-Term Observation Mis-sion to Lesotho approved

On February 23rd 2015, the African Union Commission Chairperson H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, approved the deployment of an African Union Short-Term Observation (STO) Mission to the Kingdom of Lesotho for the upcoming Par-liamentary Elections scheduled for Febru-ary 28th 2015. The Mission led by H.E. Rt. Hon Raila Amolo Odinga, Former Prime Minister of the Republic of Kenya, will support and observe the Election activi-ties in line with relevant African Union in-struments.

Further reading: http://pa.au.int/en/content/auc-chairperson-approves-african-union-short-term-observation-mission-lesotho

Induction of Elected members of the ECOSOCC General Assembly The Newly Elected members of the 2nd Permanent Economic, Social and Cultural Council of the African Union (ECOSOCC) General Assembly had Orientation and Induction Meeting from February 26th to 1st March 2015 in Cairo, Egypt. On the agenda were discussions around National, Regional and Continental Consultations for ECOSOCC and Internal Elections. The orientation exercises included: The Constitutive Act, AU Or-gans and Structure, the Economic, Social and Cultural Council of the African Union (ECOSOCC); A people-centred Union: the CSO Agenda in the framework of the AU as well as the Agenda 2063 and the AUC Strategic Plan 2014-2017; the Theme of the 2015 Summit: Year of Women Empower-ment toward Agenda 2063 and the Role of ECOSOCC etc. Further reading: http://pages.au.int/ecosocc/events/orientation-and-induction-meeting-newly-elected-members-2nd-permanent-ecosocc-general-assembly

Credit: AUC

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Democratic Governance

AU-Weekly Published by Oxfam Liaison Office to the AU

AU WEEKLY

Deployment of a pre-election assessment mission to the Republic of Sudan ap-

proved On March 3rd 2015, The Chairperson of the African Union Commission H.E. Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma approved the deployment of a Pre-election Assessment Mission to the Republic of Sudan for the upcoming general elections scheduled for April 13th 2015. The mission will assess country’s preparedness and ensure that elections are held within the framework of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance to which the republic of Sudan is a signatory. Further reading: http://pa.au.int/en/content/african-union-commission-chairperson-approves-deployment-pre-election-assessment-mission-rep

AU customs experts discussed Single Window in Africa

Co- organized by the Department of Trade and Industry of the African Union Commission and the Malagasy Customs Authority, the first African Union Expert Group Workshop on implementation of a Single Window System took place on March 4th to 5th 2015, in Antananarivo, Madagascar. They discussed the benefits, challenges and opportunities of implementing the Single Window System in African countries The Director for the Department of Trade and Industry of the African Union Commission, Mrs. Treasure Thembisile emphasized on the importance of involving the Private Sector on the imple-mentation process. Further reading: http://ti.au.int/en/events/african-union-customs-experts-discuss-implementation-single-window-africa

Economic Justice

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Economic Justice

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AU WEEKLY

Climate Change Negotiation: AUC Com-missioner met UNEP Africa Regional Of-fice Director On February 24th 2015, Her Excellency Tumusiime Rhoda Peace, Commissioner for Department of Ru-ral Economy and Agriculture (DREA) called on Mr. Mounkaila Goumandakoye, Director for the Re-gional Office for Africa at the United Nations Envi-ronment Programme (UNEP). The meeting reviewed areas of cooperation in fur-therance of issues related to environment and sus-tainable development including support to Africa’s participation in global negotiations on climate change and sustainable development goals, among others. The meeting which was also attended by Mr. David Ombisi, Executive Secretary of AMCEN and officials from UNEP and AUC, further agreed on continued close collaboration on these and oth-er related issues in partnership with other Pan Afri-can and regional and international institutions in support of AU Member States effective participa-tion around Africa’s common position

Further reading: http://rea.au.int/en/content/commissioner-tumusiime-discusses-sustainable-development-unep-africa-regional-office-directo

Green Revolution in Africa: AUC Commissioner visits AGRA

Commissioner for African Union Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture (AU-DREA) H.E Tumusiime Rhoda Peace, paid a visit to H.E Dr Agnes Kalibata President of the Alli-ance for a Green Revolution in Africa in Nai-robi February 25th 2015.

They deliberated on the implementation of the Cooperation Agreement between Alli-ance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and the AU-DREA. They also reviewed pro-gress made and the way forward with re-gards to the AU Malabo Declaration on Ac-celerated Africa Agriculture Growth and Transformation, emphasizing on joint efforts towards the operationalization of the African Fertiliser Financing Mechanism.

Further Reading: http://rea.au.int/en/content/commissioner-tumusiime-visits-agra-president-dr-kalibata

Agriculture and Innovation in Africa discussed by AU and German

A high-level Meeting on Scaling Agricultural Innovations in Africa was held on February 25th 2015 Nairobi, AUC Commissioner for African Union Department of Rural Economy and Agricul-ture (AU-DREA), H.E Tumusiime Rhoda met with the German delegation. They discussed the One World-No Hunger initiative that currently covers 13 countries in the world and 12 in Africa.

However, she also pointed out that in order to ensure the components of the initiative are part of National Agriculture and Food Security implementation and Investment Plans, there is need for the initiative to be aligned to the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) .

Further reading: http://rea.au.int/en/content/commissioner-tumusiime-meets-german-delegation

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Peace and Security

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AU WEEKLY

South Sudan Peace Talks

On March 3rd 2015, The Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia,H.E Ato Hailemariam Dessalegn, Chairperson of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Assembly, the President of the Republic of South Sudan, H.E Salva Kiir Mayardit and the Leader of the SPLM/A Dr. Riek Machar resumed face-to-face talks on the structure of the Transitional Gov-ernment of National Unity, the power sharing ratios, the composition of the National Assembly and transitional security arrangements. Following the negotiations for the IGAD-mediated South Sudan peace talks on 23rd February 2015, and the agreed deadline March 5th to conclude negotiations, IGAD Special Envoys for South Sudan called on the Parties to accelerate their efforts to reach a final agreement so that the Pre-Transitional Period can begin on April 1st, and the Transitional Government of National Unity formed no later than July 9th 2015. Further reading: http://southsudan.igad.int/index.php/281-talks-resume-between-president-kiir-

Credit: IGAD

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Understanding the African Union

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AU WEEKLY

Directorate of Women, Gender and Development On the occasion of the celebration of the International Women’s Day on March 8th 2015, under the theme “Empowering Women, Empowering Humanity: Picture it’’, we are proposing you to dis-cover the AUC Directorate of Women, Gender and Development.

Mandate

The mandate of this directorate is to promote gender equality within and throughout the unon as well as within members states by translating policy agreements and instruments into measurable programmes and pojects. It shall provide outsight by facilitating development and harmanisation of policy, facilitating co-ordination and initiating gender mainstreaming strategies

Core Functions

To harmonise gender policies in the AU organs and Member States: To initiate and manage the gender analysis of policies emanating from the commission and the

AU organ; To design gender sensitive indicators for AU Commission and AU organs; To develop and manage a gender mainstreaming strategy and promote its implementation; To develop, implement and monitor a gender policy; To design and maintain an efficient coordination framework; To provide training for the uniform application of gender policy and gender mainstreaming

strategy within the commission and AU organs.

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Up Coming Events

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Event: International Women’s Day (IWD) Venue: Global

Event: Open session on Mitigating Vulnerabilities of Women, Chil-

dren and other Vulnerable Groups in Armed Conflicts in Africa Venue: Plenary Hall, Old AU Conference Centre. Contact: Tel: (+251-11)5513822. E-mail: situationroom@africa-union.org

Event: Women in Parliaments summit

Venue: Nelson Mandela, African Union , Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Contact: http://www.womeninparliaments.org/event/wip-annual-

summit-2015/ Event: Regional Consultation towards the 3rd International Conference

on FFD

Venue: UN Conference Centre, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Contact: Ms. Uzumma Erume: E-mail: uerume@uneca.org

Event: The 8th Joint Annual Meetings of the African Union Specialized

Technical Committee on Finance, Monetary Affairs, Economic Planning and Integration and the ECA Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Venue: UN Conference Centre, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Contact: Tel: (+251-11)5543556: E-mail: uncc-aa@uneca.org

Event: Africa Climate Resilient Infrastructure Summit (ACRIS)

Venue: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Contact: http://www.enticoevents.com/acris/

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25-31

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27-29

April