Au weekly 10 december

AU WEEKLY ...keeping you updated December 9th, 2015

HIGHLIGHTS Economic Justice 

Eradicating Poverty in Africa



China-Africa Cooperation



Understanding the AU 

Fridays of the Commission: The ACP-EU Partnership

Stakeholders Engaging the African Union: International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) Representation to the AU

Upcoming Events 

Peace and Security 

New Appointment





African Migration

consultations

on

6th Citizens’ Continental Conference on the theme of ‘African Year of Human Rights’ 26th AU Summit, January 2016

Follow us on: Facebook - Oxfam International Liaison Office to the African Union: OI-AU Twitter - twitter@oxfam_AU Disclaimer: Views or articles presented in this publication are solely those of the media source and do not represent Oxfam’s views

AU-Weekly Published by Oxfam Liaison Office to the AU 1

AU Weekly

Economic Justice Eradicating Poverty in Africa

China-Africa Cooperation

The African Union Commission and ONE Africa have formalised their partnership by signing an MoU on the development of agriculture, food and nutrition security across Africa on November 27, 2015 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Signed by the AUC’s Commissioner of Rural Economy and Agriculture, Ms. Tumusiime Rhoda Peace and the interim Executive Director of ONE Africa, Ms. Nachilala Nkombo, the partnership seeks to ensure that ONE is enabled to systematically support the AUC to eradicate poverty in Africa. This will be accomplished by building supportive grassroots and relevant civil society platforms that follow up on the development and implementation of AU Member States’ decisions and commitments that advance social and economic development in Africa.

The Second Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit took place on December 4 and 5, 2015 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Co-organised by the African Union Commission (AUC), Government of South Africa, and the People’s Republic of China, the meeting deliberated under the theme: "AfricaChina Progressing Together: Win-Win Cooperation for Common Development”.

The meeting was expected to adopt a Johannesburg Declaration and Action Plan, which outlines specific measures aimed at consolidating the growing mutual partnership between Africa and China, as well as to open new avenues of cooperation and opportunities for both China and Africa. This meeting also aimed at elevating the relationship to a new level that would have mutual beneficial impact and give impetus to Africa's development, in line with the AU's Agenda 2063 and the 1st Ten-Year Implementation Plan of Agenda 2063.

Further reading: http://www.au.int/en/sites/ default/files/pr_368_-_mou_with_auc_5.pdf

Further reading: http://www.au.int/en/ newsevents/19397/second-forum-china-africacooperation-focac-summit-sandton-conventioncentre#sthash.KzqDERir.dpuf 2

AU Weekly

Economic Justice Fridays of the Commission: ACP-EU Partnership The Department of Economic Affairs co-organised, in partnership with the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM) and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) a public discussion on December 8, 2015 under the theme: “The future of the ACP-EU relations: What role for The AU?’’.

This provided an opportunity to thoroughly discuss the ACP-EU agreement and to consider its future.

Speaking on behalf of Oxfam’s Liaison Office to the African Union was Dr. Vanessa Inko-Dokubo , who presented a global perspective for advancing Africa’s interests within the framework of the new Post2015 Sustainable Development agenda.

The conference was structured around the following issues:  What is the relevance of the current ACP-EU partnership in addressing current and future African and global challenges?  What can be the value added of the ACP Group and the ACP-EU Partnership for Africa, beyond 2020?  What are other alternative credible and effective frameworks that would be able to meet the development interests of Africa?  What kind of partnership might exist with Europe beyond 2020?  How can Africa's interests be better served in meeting both the 2015-2030 Sustainable Development Goals and the AU’s Agenda 2063?

A background note is available here:

http://ecdpm.org/events/fridays-commission-future-

acp-eu/

A summary

of

the

presentations

is

available

here:

http://www.au.int/en/

pressreleases/19464/%E2%80%9Cacp-eu-relations-cannot-be-business-usual-after-2020%E2% 80%9D-say-experts Further reading: http://www.au.int/en/newsevents/19368/fridays-commission-under-theme-future-acpeu-relations-what-role-au 3

AU Weekly

Peace and Security

Credited: AU

New Appointment AUC Director for Peace and Security Mr. Wane Elghassim has been appointed as the new UN Assistant-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations on December 3, 2015 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Mr. Wane Elghassim will be leaving the AU Commission after 21 years of dedicated and committed service to the organisation, the continent and humanity. He has been the Director for Peace and Security for the past six years.

Further reading; http://www.au.int/en/pressreleases/19442/au-commissionchairperson-congratulates-mr-wane-elghassim-appointedassistant#sthash.pqYJWiyZ.dpuf 4

AU Weekly

Understanding the AU Stakeholders Engaging the African Union: International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) Representation to the AU FIDH is an international NGO established in 1922. It aims at defending all civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It acts in legal and political arenas for the creation and reinforcement of international and regional instruments designed for the protection of human rights and their implementation. FIDH is a federalist movement that acts through and for 164 member organisations in more than 100 countries.

FIDH has areas of primary focus. These include the freedom and capacity to act of human rights defenders; universality of rights, in particular those of women and migrants; and the effectiveness of human rights, in particular ensuring that all violators are called to account for respecting human rights in times of conflict.

Their work in these areas occurs at national, regional and international levels through coordinated efforts between FIDH’s national members and partner organisations.

FIDH deploys a large range of actions that have proven to be effective: rapid reactions, both public and confidential; international fact-finding, trial observation and defence missions; political dialogue; advocacy; litigation and public awareness campaigns.

In terms of advocacy, FIDH focuses on international and regional intergovernmental bodies such as the UN, EU, ASEAN, and the AU. Along with offices in Geneva, New York, Brussels, The Hague, Bangkok and Cairo, FIDH has opened an office in Nairobi with a view to strengthening its interaction with AU institutions and NGOs’ access to these bodies. For non-state actors engaging with the African Union, FIDH advocates for the strengthening of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), the main body in charge of promoting and protecting human rights on the continent.

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AU Weekly

Understanding the AU (cont’d)

To this end, FIDH regularly supports the participation of human rights defenders in the ACHPR’s ordinary sessions, produces well-documented shadow reports, organises briefings on human rights situations in Africa, provides Commissioners with its expertise on specific topics, or uses the quasi judicial mandate of the Commission.

At the AU level, FIDH concentrates its efforts on increasing the interaction between human rights defenders and AU representatives and advocates for the development of a strong AU human rights strategy/approach to be reflected in AU decisions.

FIDH, which is involved in one of the pending cases before the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, also focuses on the strengthening of this Court, in particular by lobbying States for the ratification of its Protocol and for the guarantee of an effective access to the Court by individuals and NGOs. FIDH also intends to increase its advocacy towards Regional Economic Communities (RECs) including ECOWAS and SADC. Contact Information: Tel: +254 707 156 103 (Nairobi Office) / +33 143 55 2518 (Paris Office) Website: www.fidh.org

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AU Weekly

Upcoming Events

Dec

Event: African consultations on Migration Venue: Nairobi, Kenya

14-15

Contact: http://www.au.int/en/newsevents/19426/africanconsultations-migration-nairobi-kenya

Event: 6th Citizens’ Continental Conference

Jan

Venue: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

21-23 Jan

Contact: The Centre for Citizens' Participation on the African Union (CCPAU) Email: director@ccpau.org - Tel: +254 710 819 046 Web: www.ccpau.org

Event: 26th AU Summit, January 2016 Venue: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

24-31

Contact: http://www.au.int/en/

Follow us on: Facebook - Oxfam International Liaison Office to the African Union: OI-AU Twitter - @oxfam_AU Disclaimer: Views or articles presented in this publication are solely those of the media source and do not represent Oxfam’s views

AU-Weekly Published by Oxfam International Liaison Office to the AU 7