African Union Monthly Bulletin

On the 17th of June 2021, the world learnt of the passing away of Dr Kenneth Kaunda, the last remaining Founding Father of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was launched in 1963. He was 97.
The AU Commission Chairperson Mr Moussa Faki Mahamat released a message of condolences, saying the sense of loss was indescribable.

Child labour, forced labour, human trafficking and modern slavery are grievous issues of concern throughout the world. According to the African Union Ten Year Action Plan on Eradication of Child Labour, Forced Labour, Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery in Africa (2020-2030), in 2016, a fifth of African children (72 million) were in child labour. Nearly half of them were in hazardous work.

The year 2020 witnessed the full effect of the Covid-19 global pandemic that met a world unprepared to deal with the disruptions it brought on, drastically changing and impacting the lives of people all over the world and generations to come. In Africa, like elsewhere, communities and nations banded together to adapt to the new Covid-19 reality with experiences gained from managing other major public health emergencies such as Ebola, providing a foundation to support the rapid roll out of preventative measures.

In May, the African Union Union’s Medical and Health Services Directorate and Africa CDC began the roll out of #COVID19 vaccines to AU staff members.

The Astra Zeneca vaccines were availed by the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia as part of the COVAX facility consignment and are being administered according to the Ethiopian Ministry of Health priority list.

Africa Day celebrations 2021 were held by the AUC as well as the various African Union organs and mission offices, to commemorate the founding of the Organization of African Unity, (OAU) on May 25^th 1963 and the pan-African movement that championed Africa’s independence from colonialism and apartheid.