Events

The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child: 25 Years in 2015
A Campaign for the Universal Ratification of and Reporting on the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC)

Addis Ababa, 23 January, 2014. - Alongside the 22nd AU Summit (21 - 31 January, 2014), on 29 January, the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) is launching the Campaign for the Universal Ratification of and Reporting on the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC). The campaign marks the 25th Anniversary of the adoption of the ACRWC on 11 July 1990. The campaign aims at securing a universal ratification of and reporting on the implementation of the ACRWC.

Presently the number of ratification stands at 47 out of 54 AU Member States. The remaining 7 countries which are yet to ratify the ACRWC are: Central Africa Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Federal Republic of Somalia, Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, Republic of South Sudan, and Tunisia. Similarly, only 20 out of 47 state parties have complied duly to their obligations to submit initial reports to the committee as stipulated in Article 43 of the ACRWC, among which only two, Burkina Faso and Kenya, have submitted their periodical reports.

For the committee to effectively undertake its mandate, all African countries are expected to ratify the charter and report on its implementation accordingly. Upon ratification the state parties have the obligation to protect, promote and fulfill the rights enshrined under the ACRWC. State parties to the charter are also obliged to recognize the rights, freedoms and duties enshrined in the ACRWC and shall undertake to the necessary steps to adopt such legislative or other measures as may be necessary to give effect to the provisions of this charter. States parties to the ACRWC are required to report on the implementation of the provisions so the reporting mechanism is a means of monitoring compliance of the state with its child rights obligations.

The campaign is planned to be conducted within a 2 year period culminating on 29 November, 2015, with a series of activities and outreach events across the continent. The campaign, inter alia, aims at achieving universal ratification and respect for states parties’ fulfillment of their reporting obligations by 2015 and increasing the visibility of the ACRWC and its monitoring body. It also promotes the effective implementation of the ACRWC and advocates for the withdrawal of reservations.

A press conference will be held on 29 January, 2014 at 10:30 in the Briefing Room 1 of the African Union headquarters.

Media are invited to attend this event.
For further information, please contact
Mrs. CISSE Mariama Mohamed: CISSEM@africa-union.org;
Mr. Ayalew Getachew Assefa: Ayalewg@africa-union.org
Mrs. Catherine Wanjiru Maina: Mainac@africa-union.org

Website: www.acerwc.org

PRESS RELEASE N0. 05/ 22nd AU SUMMIT

AUC hosts CAADP 2nd Multi Donor Trust Fund design meeting

Addis Ababa, 22 January 2014-The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Multi Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) 2 design meeting opened today with a view to map out a strategy for the second phase of the MDTF.

Established in 2008 at the request of the African Union as a programmatic trust fund, the CAADP MDTF, whose mandate ends December 31, 2015, was intended to support the efforts of African agencies engaged in CAADP processes. The MDTF supports the activities of African institutions to lead the adoption and utilization of CAADP across the continent and to facilitate coordination of development partner support to activities under CAADP and to African agriculture more broadly.

Officially opening the design meeting, AUC Director of Rural Economy and Agriculture, Dr. Abebe Haile Gabriel, said the CAADP MDTF had been instrumental in supporting African institutions in delivering their mandates and capacity building services in rolling out CAADP.

Dr. Abebe stressed the importance of building on what CAADP has done in the last decade to deliver positive changes that impact directly on lives and livelihoods of people through agricultural transformation.

“The MDTF 2 should therefore, focus on country implementation results and impact,” he said. “The outcome of this meeting is going to be very crucial in contributing towards the design of a financing mechanism that will help in accelerated implementation of CAADP in the next decade.”

Speaking during the opening of the meeting, World Bank representative, David Neilson, noted that there have been real successes in African agriculture achieved through CAADP.

He said the design of MDTF 2 would focus on pertinent issues meant to sustain the CAADP momentum and would also reflect on experiences and lessons learnt in the last decade of CAADP.
A snapshot of main CAADP successes since its launch in 2003

Improved Agricultural Planning: More than 28 out 54 countries have developed national agricultural investment plans – and these have become their medium term expenditure frameworks for agriculture. Another dozen countries are now developing their own plans. Several countries have implemented first round investment plans and are now developing second generation agricultural investment plans (e.g, Rwanda and Sierra Leone).

Improved Agricultural Growth: Annual agricultural GDP growth for countries south of the Sahara has averaged nearly 4% since 2003, well above agricultural GDP growth rates for the previous several decades. Several countries are already meeting the CAADP target of an annual rate of agricultural growth of 6 percent.

Greater Public Expenditure in Agriculture: On average, public agricultural expenditures have risen by over 7% per year across Africa (more than 12% per year in Africa’s low income countries) since 2003 – nearly doubling public agricultural expenditures since the launch of CAADP.

African Ownership of its own Agricultural Programs and Agenda: CAADP has elevated attention to agriculture and has put African leaders in a stronger position than ever before to lead African approaches to agriculture at every level.

Media contact:

KeizireB@africa-union.org

Jilomboc@africa-union.org

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

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Journalists enlightened on the African Charter to Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of women in Africa
Addis Ababa, 23 January 2014 - The Director of Women, Gender and Development of the African Union, Mrs. Litha Musyimi-Ogana, held a press conference on 22 January 2014 at the African Union Commission headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, within the framework of the 22nd African Union Summit, holding from 21 – 31 January 2014.
Mrs. Ogana Presented the status of
ratification of the protocol of the African Charter of Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of women in Africa. She said within the timeframe of ten years 36 member states have ratified the protocol .She encouraged countries who have not yet signed to do so accordingly, while acknowledging at the press conference that member states have done their part beyond commitment in ratifying the protocol. “Now we are moving to the implementation phase of the protocol and so far 10 member states have expressed their interest”. These countries, she said will be given training and accessed on the status
of implementation.
Mrs. Litha also added that, the member states are expected to report on their progress to
the Commission. “In this regard Malawi is the only country which has submitted its report so far”, she said.
WB / EAT
For further information contact
Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: dinfo@african- union.org I Web Site: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia
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INVITATION TO THE MEDIA

PRESS BRIEFING OF THE DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION OF THE AU COMMISSION

Within the framework of the 22nd AU Summit, Mrs. Habiba Mejri-Cheikh, Director of Information and Communication of the African Union (AU) Commission will on Tuesday 21st January 2014 at 12.00 hold a press briefing on the following issue:

- Useful tips for the media coverage of the 22nd AU Summit

The briefing will be held in Briefing Room 1, at the New AU Conference Center, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Journalists are invited to take part in the press briefing

Media contact

Mr. Molalet Tsedeke

Media Center Coordinator

Directorate of Information and Communication

AU Commission

Tel: 0911630631

E: mail: molalett@africa-union.org

For further information contact

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

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http://summits.au.int/en/22ndsummit

Agriculture, Food and Security at the centre of African Union Summit

Addis Ababa, 20 January 2014 – “Transforming Africa’s Agriculture: Harnessing Opportunities for Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development” is the theme that will be at the center of discussions during the 22nd Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU), scheduled to take place from 21st to 31st January 2014 at the headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Summit will officially kick off tomorrow, Tuesday 21st January with the 27th Ordinary Session of the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC). The PRC will discuss items on the agenda in preparation of the upcoming AU Summit, to be submitted to the Executive Council for adoption.

The official opening of the 27th Ordinary Session of the PRC tomorrow, Tuesday 21st January 2014 will take place from 10:00 – 13:00 at the New AUC Conference Center. The opening session will include among others, a speech by the Chair of the PRC, a welcome remark by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, and a group photo of Ambassadors with Commission Members and the Secretary General of the Commission, to take place in front of the plenary hall of the AUC Conference Centre in the presence of representatives of the press.
According to the PRC agenda for the 22nd AU Summit, the Ambassadors will, for three days (20 to 22 January 2014) exchange views on specific reports including the reports of the Advisory Sub-committee on administrative, budgetary and financial matters; sub-committee on programmes and conferences; sub-committee on structures; multilateral cooperation; economic and trade matters; sub-committee on contributions; including the annual report of the AU Commission and that of the African Court for Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Meanwhile, the Ambassadors will consider the draft decision on AIM 2050, the finalization of the draft decision on Sharm El Sheikh Water and Sanitation to be presented by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Economies of the AUC, as well as adopt the Encyclopaedia Africana Project.
The Ambassadors will finally consider the working documents and draft decisions in preparation for the 24th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council.

On the other hand, the 24th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council will hold from 27- 28 January 2014 at the headquarters of the AU in Addis Ababa. The Ministers of External Affairs and other ministers or authorities designated by the governments of AU Member States will deliberate on the different reports of the ministerial meetings organised by the AU Commission during the last six months. They will consider the activity report of the Commission; the recommendations of the PRC on the implementation of previous Decisions of the Executive Council and the Assembly; and the report of the ministerial committee on candidatures.

The Executive Council will also consider the report on the implementation of the of the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa (SDGEA); the report of the Commission on the Situation in the Middle East and Palestine as well as the report of the Commission on implementation of Assembly Decision on granting competence to the African Court of Justice and Human Rights to deal with International Crimes.

One of the high moments during the Executive Council meeting will be the election of the ten members of the Peace and Security Council for a two year mandate, as well as the election of the president and vice president of the Pan-African University Council.

Meanwhile, the 22nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union is scheduled to take place from 30 to 31st January 2014 in the plenary hall of the New AU Conference Center. The Heads of State and Government will launch the year 2014 as the Year of Agriculture and Food Security, marking the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). They will consider the report of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) on its activities and the state of peace and security in Africa, including the activities of the panel of the Wise along side the renewal of its membership.

The African Heads of State will also consider the report on the assessment of the African Standby Force (ASF) and the operationalization of the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises (ACIRC), as well as launch the final report of the High Level Panel on Fragile States.

AU Summit to Discuss President’s Report of Activity:

The Heads of State and Government will exchange views on the report of H.E. Mr. Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal and Chairperson of NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee (HSGOC), as well as consider the report of H.E. Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone and Chairperson of the Committee of Ten on the UN Reforms. They will also consider the report of H.E. Mr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania and Coordinator of the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC) which will include among others: the outcome of climate change negotiations at the 19th Conference of Parties (COP 19) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the report of the Commission on the implementation of previous decisions on UNCCD and outcomes of COP 11 held in Windhoek, Namibia, 16-26 September 2013.

The Summit will further consider the report of H.E. Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of the Republic of Liberia and Chairperson of the High Level Committee on the Post-2015 Development Agenda including the proposed draft African Position on the Post-2015 Development Agenda as well as the outcome document of the Africa regional consultative meeting on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that will serve as inputs to the African Common Position on the Post 2015 Development Agenda.

The Heads of State will exchange views on the report of H.E. Mr. Idris Deby Itno, President of the Republic of Chad and Chairperson of the High Level African Trade Committee (HATC), before proceeding to the consideration of the report of the Chairperson of the Executive Council and Chairperson of the Ministerial Contact Group on the implementation of Assembly Decision on Africa’s relationship with the International Criminal Court (ICC). They will discuss the outcome of the 3rd Africa-Arab Summit, held in Kuwait City, Kuwait, from 19-20 November 2013, among others.

A press conference addressed by the new Chairperson of the African Union (AU) and the Chairperson of the AU Commission will crown the event.

For more information about the event, visit the 22nd Summit web page of the AU at the following link: http://summits.au.int/en/22ndsummit

Journalists are invited to cover the official opening and closing ceremonies of the 27th Ordinary Session of the PRC on 21st and 22nd January 2014, the 24th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council on 27 and 28 January 2014 and the 22nd Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly on 30 and 31st January 2014.

Journalists wishing to interview the leadership of the AU Commission during the Summit should submit their requests to Mrs Esther Azaa Tankou E-mail: YambouE@africa-union.org / esthertankou@yahoo.com

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

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