Events

1st Extraordinary Session of the Standing Committee of the 2nd Permanent ECOSOCC General Assembly,
11-14 August 2015, Nairobi, Kenya

The 1st Extraordinary Session of the Standing Committee of the 2nd Permanent General Assembly of ECOSOCC was held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 11-14 August 2015. The Standing Committee serves as the Executive Organ of ECOSOCC and Article 10 of the ECOSOCC Statute authorizes that the Standing Committee “Coordinates the work of ECOSOCC and prepare and submits annual reports of ECOSOCC to the Assembly of the Union”.

The official opening ceremony was attended by the Policy Adviser, and Director of Trade of the Ministry Foreign Affairs of the Kenya, H.E Ambassador Zaddock Syongoh.
Some of ECOSOCC’s special advisers also attended the meetings as observers. Those included Prof. Dipo Kolawale-ECOSOCC adviser on regional and international partnerships, Ambassador Mussie Hailu- Adviser on Interfaith and members of the Secretariat in CIDO.

The main agenda items of this technical session were to deliberate and come up with decisions on the following aspects:
1) ECOSOCC participation in National, Regional and International Forums
2) Report on the outcomes of the 27th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council and 25th Ordinary Session of the Assembly held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 7-15 June 2015.
3) Assessment of Summit Outcomes on ECOSOCC Mandate and development of its work program and framework of action for the execution of related responsibilities and / or activities
4) Operationalization of Clusters and interaction with relevant AU Departments to facilitate an integrated perspective.
5) Consideration and/or approval of the Report of the 1st Ordinary Session of the Credentials Committee and its proposals for the effective Implementation of Executive Council Decision EX.CL 869(XXVI) of January 2015 on the continuation of by-elections into ECOSOCC General Assembly and EX.CL 924 (XXVII) of June 2015 on establishing a framework or harmonized criteria for CSO consultative and Observer Status in the AU in close consultation with the Commission and other AU Organs.
6) Consideration of the report of Africa-EU CSO Intercontinental Steering Committee of 6 July 2015 and planning for the AU-CSO Intercontinental CSO forum and framework for effective CSO participation in the Africa-EU Partnership.
7) Decision on Policy and Administrative issues requiring urgent attention

The meeting also invited departments to give presentations to support the operationalization of the ECOSOCC clusters such as DPA, OLC, PBFA, PMCD and PSD.

In embarking upon the way forward and to guide the implementation strategy of ECOSOCC the Committee deliberated on the various issues contained in the agenda for a period of four days and ended with twelve decisions encircled around the agenda points in addition to decisions regarding advancing the relationship with the relevant AU offices.

Sensitization and Motivation Campaign
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On its final day the ECOSOCC had an ECOSOCC Sensitization and Motivation Campaign, Nairobi, Kenya, 14 August 2015. The campaign aimed to appraise the CSOs on the developments since the 2nd Permanent General Assembly, related summit decisions (June 2015), the Development of a National ECOSOCC Chapter in Kenya and the working towards a Harmonized Criteria for CSO observer and Consultative Status in AU and ended with an interactive session between the CSOs and the Presiding officer and the standing committee.

Photos

ECOSOCC Group Photo

AU ECOSOCC Sensitization Campaign:

Opening Ceremony with Ambassador Zaddok

PRESS RELEASE

AU ECOSOCC HOLDS PARTNERSHIP DISCUSSIONS WITH EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE (EESC)

The Presiding Officer of the African Union Economic Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) welcomed a delegation from the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) on Tuesday July 15, 2015 at the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa.

The EESC delegation was led by Mr. Xavier Verboven, President of the ACP-EU Follow up Committee and also included Ms. Dilyana Slavova, President of the Specialized Section for Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment; Ms. Brenda King Chair, IT Group and Rafael Bellon Gomez, Administrator of External Relations and EU ECOSOC Secretariat

The meeting, held on the margins of the Financing for Development Conference in Addis Ababa, aimed to strengthen the ties between the AU ECOSOCC and its counterpart organ within the EU.

Mr. Chilengi and Mr. Verboven exchanged information about the structure and programs of their respective committees and highlighted a number of issues and challenges common to civil society in both Africa and Europe.

The meeting further identified areas of potential cooperation and synergy between the two civil society organs and committed to a plan of action in the coming months to solidify an institutional partnership through a memorandum of understanding.

Ambassador Mussie Hailu Special Advisor to the AU ECOSOCC on Interfaith, inter-religious and inter-cultural issue; and Mr. Kyeretwie Osei from the ECOSOCC Secretariat, also participated in the meeting.

Concrete outcomes of the Meeting:

1. Solidify an institutional partnership through an MOU between AU ECOSOCC and EU ECOSOC
2. Agreed to have leadership of each organ address each other's policy organs. ECOSOCC Presiding Officer will address the EU ECOSOC twice a year and the EU ECOSOC President will do the same for Africa
3. Share experiences on how the EU ECOSOC generates its advisory opinions. They generate about 200 advisory opinions every year to the EU and about 2000 meetings per year
4. Agreed to start discussing the Post Cotonou Agreement and relign cooperation frameworks.
5. Agreed to have some members of AU ECOSOCC to undertake attachment for one month to two at their secretariat to share and learn generation of advisory opinions, declarations etc.
6. 6.Agreed to have AU ECOSOCC Staff attachment to EU ECOSOC Secretariat at External Services to share and learn how secretariat services EU ECOSOC , communication strategy, policy engagement etc. for up to 3 months depending on circumstances as they use 24 languages at the Secretariat
7. Agreed to work together in the evaluation of EPAS, on programme of food security and safety and on activities on international year of the soil

Standing Committee members should note the quantitative deliverables for the meeting enroute to Nairobi
Thank you

Joseph CHILENGI
Presiding Officer
African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council ( AU ECOSOCC )
ECOSOCC Secretariat
C/o African Union Commission, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Mobile P: +260 979 867690
Tel: +251 11 5517 700
Fax: +251 11 5517 844

CIDO Strengthens Diaspora Partnerships in Canada

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 1 June 2015 – The Citizens and Diaspora Directorate (CIDO) of the African Union Commission has reinforced its strategic partnerships in North America in support of diaspora engagement objectives under the First 10-Year Plan of Agenda 2063.
A team from CIDO, led by Dr. Jinmi Adisa recently participated in a number of strategic activities in Canada as part of the ongoing operationalization of CIDO’s strategic vision aimed at mobilizing non-state actors within civil society and the diaspora community to support the integration and development agenda of the African Union.
Key among these activities was a project technical workshop for the design and implementation of the African Diaspora Volunteer Corps; a pioneer diaspora-for-development project developed in partnership with Cuso International, a global leader in volunteer-based development programming. During the all-day workshop held on May 11, 2015 at Cuso International headquarters in Ottawa, Canada, CIDO and Cuso International successfully developed the final technical framework for a 4-year, $6million dollar project that would see technical experts recruited from the African Diaspora community in Canada to be placed with the AU Commission as well as with local partner organizations in five (5) AU member states to build capacity in organizational development and economic development. In addition to project funding already secured from the World Bank, CIDO and Cuso International also finalized a project proposal - aimed at securing supplementary project funding - to the Government of Canada through the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD).
As part of the proposal process the CIDO team held very positive meetings with Government of Canada officials led by Ms. Patricia Malikail, Director-General of the Pan-Africa Bureau of DFATD. Ms. Malikail indicated the appreciation of the Pan-Africa Bureau of the programs and activities of CIDO; and referred the team to the ongoing support of the Canadian government to the African Union through the NEPAD mechanism. CIDO and the DFATD team agreed to continue to exchange information with regard to funding for the African Diaspora Volunteering Project.
In addition, the CIDO team held a high level meeting with His Excellency Constant Horace, Ambassador of Mauritius to Canada and Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps in Canada. The African Diplomatic Corps is a group of 41 African Ambassadors and High Commissioners to Canada which meets regularly to discuss matters of continental interest. The purpose of the meeting was to update the Dean on the progress of the African Diaspora Volunteer Corps project, as well as CIDO’s ongoing mobilization and engagement of the African Diaspora in Canada and North America in general; and also to develop a framework for cooperation between CIDO and the diplomatic community in Canada. In his remarks to the CIDO team, the Dean welcomed the initiative of CIDO in establishing strategic diaspora partnerships in Canada; and stressed the readiness of the African Diplomatic Corps to engage with CIDO on an ongoing basis in order to ensure mutual support in matters of diaspora engagement. The Dean invited the CIDO team to make a formal presentation to the entire group of African Ambassadors as diaspora matters are currently of primary importance to all African embassies and high commissions in Canada. It was agreed that this presentation would take place within a period of a few months as part of a general meeting of the African Diplomatic Corps.
Furthermore, the CIDO team held a special meeting with the Ambassador of Ethiopia to Canada, Her Excellency Birtukan Ayano Dadi at the Ethiopian Embassy in Ottawa. The Ambassador recognized the importance of integrating the skills and resources of the African Diaspora into developmental plans and initiatives on the continent and lauded the timeliness of CIDO’s efforts to channel the talent and treasure of the African Diaspora in Canada into the African Union’s developmental agenda. Ambassador Dadi notified the CIDO team of the upcoming inaugural National Diaspora Festival in Ethiopia to be held in August 2015; and invited the participation and involvement of CIDO in the event. In addition, Ambassador Dadi called for the collaboration of CIDO and the Ethiopian Embassy in Canada in developing and conducting a demographic study aimed at mapping the Ethiopian diaspora community in Canada. It was agreed that the two parties, with the support of Cuso International, would conduct further discussions to determine the next steps with regard to this project.
Finally, the CIDO team had preliminary partnership meetings with the African Union 6th Region Canada (AU6RC); a leading African diaspora organization based in Canada. The purpose of the meeting was to explore opportunities for mutual cooperation around the establishment of an African diaspora network in Canada. Mr. Macaulay O. Kalu, Chairman and CEO of AU6RC expressed his organization’s appreciation for CIDO’s efforts to engage the African Diaspora community in Canada, and emphasized the great potential of such cooperation given the large and organized nature of the African diaspora population in Canada. He also briefed the CIDO team of AU6RC’s programs and networks in Canada and assured CIDO of his organization’s readiness to support CIDO’s diaspora engagement activities in Canada. In his comments, Dr. Adisa recalled the African Union’s commitment to becoming a people-centred union driven by its own citizens and diaspora in the achievement of peace, prosperity and integration on the continent. Dr. Adisa reiterated the importance of CIDO’s efforts to create frameworks of engagement between the African Union and African diaspora communities around the world. The two parties agreed to maintain partnership discussions through regular electronic communications.
The CIDO team was led by Dr. Jinmi Adisa, Director; and included Mr. Ahmed El-Madani El-Basheer, Head of Diaspora Division; and Mr. Kyeretwie Akwasi Osei, Desk Officer for Americas and Caribbean.

For more 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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Press Release

Douala, 11 March 2015

ECOSOCC Presiding Official on Working Visit to Cameroon.

The Presiding Officer of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council of the African Union (ECOSOCC), the Honorable Joseph Chilengi, paid a working visit to the Republic of Cameroon from 08-11 March 2015. He went to Cameron to honor the invitation of the Cameroon Business Forum as a high profile guest of the Prime Minister and Head of Government of the Republic of Cameroon, HE Mr. Philemon YANG.

He was received on arrival by his host, government representatives and Cameroon’s elected delegates in ECOSOCC, Mr. Ngalim Eugine Nyudine, the Chairperson of the Peace and Security Cluster Committee of ECOSOCC and his colleague Mr. Allan Blaise Bantongue.

Subsequently, Mr. Joseph Chilengi participated in the Cameroon Business Forum (CBF) held on 9 March 2015 at the Sawa Hotel in Douala at which HE The Prime Minister presided. In the course of the meeting the Prime Minister introduced his noted guest and invited him for follow-up discussions that took place later at the seat of government in Yaoundé. His Excellency, the Prime Minister expressed his joy that ECOSOCC was back in the service of the continent’s integration and development agenda and stressed the readiness and eagerness of the Government and people of Cameroon to offer it the fullest support.

The CBF is a gathering of the Business Community involving leaders of the private sector. The invitation to the ECOSOCC Presiding Officer highlighted the need to ensure that the needs of the people will guide the map for progress and sustainable economic development in Member States of the Union. Related issues that came up for discussion included the continental strategic roadmap, Agenda 2063 and African common position Vis a Vis the Post 2015 development agenda. The discussion highlighted the contribution that ECOSOCC and its national chapters can make and how annual interaction between Business leaders and the wider civil society can consolidate and drive the development process in Cameroon in particular and the continent in general

After the CBF meeting, the Presiding Officer held consultations with his ECOSOCC counterparts, the Cameroon civil society and representatives of the business community. He also took part in a Press Conference that was focused on the decisions of the January AU Summit held in Addis Ababa and the process of their implementation.

The Presiding Officer proceeded from this meeting to Luxor, Egypt to attend the Luxor African Film Festival on the invitation of the former Egyptian Prime Minister, Dr. Asiam Sharaf, who is now the President of the Egyptian Council for Africa that seeks to improve relations among African countries and the African Union. In the course of his visit to Egypt Mr. Chilengi will honor various invitations to confer with various political personalities and give a public lecture on “ Rethinking Education” on the margins of the Festival.

THE SECOND ECOSOCC GENERAL ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS HAVE STARTED TODAY

Nairobi, Kenya – 18 December 2014. - Elections into the Second General Assembly of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council of the African Union (ECOSOCC) commenced today in the capital city of Nairobi, Kenya.

The elections are being held in compliance with the Decision of the Executive Council and Assembly of Heads of State of the Union (EX/CL 849(XXV) adopted in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea in July 2014. That Decision directed that elections into the new ECOSOCC Assembly must be completed before the end of 2014.

In his opening statement, Dr. Jinmi Adisa, the Director Citizens and Diaspora Directorate (CIDO) and Head of the Secretariat of ECOSOCC congratulated the qualified representatives of the African Civil Society community that have gathered in Nairobi for the exercise and observed that the electoral process would determine who becomes an elected member of the ECOSOCC Assembly.

Dr. Adisa noted that the Constitutive Act of the African Union was explicit in its desire to create a people-centered community in the Union and that ECOSOCC was the main vehicle for achieving this goal. Accordingly, the conduct of ECOSOCC was pivotal in realizing the aims and objectives of the Union. Thus it ranks high as a key organ of the Union among others, such as the executive organs, the Commission and the Pan-African Parliament. Candidates for the elections must therefore keep the role of the Organ in mind as they seek membership of ECOSOCC. He noted that the process of elections into ECOSOCC would be staggered according to regions beginning with East, Central and Southern Africa to be followed by West and North Africa. Elections into regional and continental slots will be held along with those for North Africa.

He added that the elections would be conducted by the Office of the Legal Counsel of the Union that carries out similar elections for other organs of the Union. The Office of the Legal Counsel will explain the details of the procedure. The Electoral College will include all CSO candidates that have qualified as eligible for membership of ECOSOCC Assembly. Only qualified candidates from a specific Member State of the Union can vote in the elections for the two candidates for that Member State. For regional elections, only qualified CSO representatives from the regional area can vote, while all qualified candidates can vote for the continental elections.

He stressed that participation in the ensuing ECOSOCC process would not be confined to the activities of the elected Members as all Members of the African civil society community would be associated with the work of ECOSOCC through the Sectorial Cluster Committees that are defined in the ECOSOCC Statutes as key operational Mechanisms of the Organ.

In turn, Ambassador Lazarus Kapambwe, the Advisor to the AUC Chairperson conveyed the best wishes of the Chairperson, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to the representatives of the various civil society organizations. He informed the meeting that the AUC Chairperson attached serious significance to the election exercise and the important role that ECOSOCC must play in the African Union family. During a recent high level meeting with African Heads of States and some Members of the AU Executive Council held last Sunday in South Africa, Dr. Zuma had reported on the progress of the ECOSOCC election exercise and promised that she would be reporting on its conclusion to the 24th AU Summit scheduled to take place in January 2015 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She assured that gathering that the 2nd ECOSOCC General Assembly would be in place at that time.

Mr. Mourad Ben Dhiab of the Office of the Legal Counsel then observed that the procedures for the elections are derived from the ECOSOCC Statutes approved by the Council of the Union and Assembly of the Heads of States and Governments of the Union. He took the gathering through the relevant provisions and explained how they provided the basis for the electoral guidelines that would be used for the conduct of the current elections.

Subsequently, Mr. Mando Bright of the Office of the Legal Counsel gave a detail briefing on the electoral guidelines and the Electronic voting system through which the actual elections will be conducted.

This was followed by observations and a question and answer session in which electors demanded clarification on various aspects of the exercise including the Statutes, the electoral guidelines and the voting system.
When electors were satisfied the voting processes began. The exercise went smoothly and the first session of the voting exercise was concluded appropriately for Eastern, Central and Southern Africa.
The second part of the exercise continues on 20 and 21 December 2014 under the tender sun of the capital city of Kenya in Nairobi. It would culminate in the official inauguration of the ECOSOCC General Assembly on 22 December 2014.

For media inquiries contact:
Habiba El Mejri Scheikh | Director Information and Communication | Information and Communication Directorate | African Union Commission | Tel: (251) 11 518 25 58 | Fax: (251) 11 518 25 78 | E-mail: habibam@africa-union.org | Web: www.au.int |Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

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