Press Conference by the Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology, H.E Dr. Martial De-Paul Ikounga, on Celebrations Marking the First Edition of the Africa Day of School Feeding

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February 25, 2016

MEDIA ADVISORY

PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RESOURCES, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, H.E DR. MARTIAL DE-PAUL IKOUNGA, ON CELEBRATIONS MARKING THE FIRST EDITION OF THE AFRICA DAY OF SCHOOL FEEDING

INVITATION TO REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MEDIA

When: Thursday, 25th February 2016

Time: 11am

Who: Organized by the Department of Human Resources, Science and Technology (HRST) of the African Union Commission

Where: African Union Commission Headquarters, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (New

Conference Centre)

Objectives:

To raise public awareness of the first edition of the Africa Day of School Feeding on 1 March 2016;
Inform stakeholders about preparations for celebrations of Africa Day of School Feeding in Niamey, Niger;
Promote better understanding of the development dimensions of home-grown school feeding in Africa; and
Stimulate media interest in covering the Africa Day of School Feeding celebrations in Niamey, Niger

Participant:

· The Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology, H.E Dr. Martial De-Paul Ikounga

Background:

Already many African countries have experience in implementing school feeding programmes, with varying levels of success and impact. The Niger Minister for Education introduced the importance of school feeding to the continental Conference of Ministers of Education in Kigali in April 2015 and organized a side event at the World Education Forum in Incheon. In order to learn from the Brazilian experience of success in school feeding, the Commission organized a High Level Mission to Brazil, which produced a number of recommendations including the necessity to map out the school feeding situation in African countries and identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges that need to be addressed at the continental, regional and national levels. Another meaningful recommendation was that the AU takes ownership of the school feeding programme in Africa. The report of the High Level Mission was presented to the meeting of the Specialized Technical Committee on Education, Science and Technology (STC) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, at the end of October 2015. The report was adopted and subsequently presented at the 26th Summit of the AU General Assembly in Addis Ababa. The Summit then made its Decision Assembly/AU/Draft/Dec.2(XXVI) Rev 1. The Decision, inter alia, called for:

a) Set up, under the Office of the Chairperson of the AU Commission and under the support of the WFP Centre of Excellence against Hunger, a Multi-disciplinary Committee of African Experts that will commission a comprehensive baseline study on the relevance and impact of school feeding in AU Member States; and

b) The institution of 1st March as Africa Day of School Feeding; and

c) The elaboration of modalities for observing the Africa Day of School Feeding (ADSF) by the AU Commission, Member States and concerned partners.

The Decision further encourages the AU Member States that have school feeding programmes to continue their efforts and invites other Member States and to adapt success lessons learned, in order to improve school children’s access and resilience. The Minister of Education of Niger on behalf of her country offered to host the inaugural event, the launch of the first Africa Day of School Feeding, which will take place in Niamey, Niger, on 1 March 2016.

Media representatives are invited to cover the event.

For media enquiry, please contact:

Esther Azaa Tankou, Ag. Director of Information and Communication, African Union Commission, Tel: +251(0) 911361185, E-mail: yamboue@africa-union.org ;

Adiatou Fatty, Communication Officer, Human Resources, Science and Technology Department, African Union Commission | Telephone: +251912661953 | Email: Fattya@africa-union.org ;

For further information:

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

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/_AfricanUnion

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Learn more at: http://www.au.int

Directorate of Information and Communication
Directorate of Information and Communication | Information and Communication | African Union Commission

Tel: +251-11-5517700 | Fax: | E-mail: DIC@africa-union.org | Web:www.au.int

Addis Ababa | Ethiopia