1. Background and Context

The African Risk Capacity (ARC) Agency is established under the Agreement for the Establishment of the ARC Agency (ARC Treaty) as a Specialized Agency of the African Union (AU) aimed to help Member States of the AU to improve their capacities to better plan, prepare and respond to extreme events, natural and other disasters. The ARC Treaty was adopted by Plenipotentiaries of AU Member States on 23 November 2012. The ARC Treaty has been signed and ratified by 38 and 13 Member States respectively. It definitively entered into force on 15 April 2020 following the deposit of the 10^th instrument of ratification with the Chairperson of the AU Commission by Niger, in accordance with Article 26 (3) of the ARC Treaty.

The Conference of the Parties (CoP) is attended by all the countries that have signed or ratified/acceded to the ARC Treaty pursuant to the decisions of the Tenth and Thirteenth Conferences of the Parties in April 2021 and April 2023 respectively upon being informed of the implications of the definitive entry into force of the ARC Treaty.

The Members of the CoP are represented by Ministers or their duly authorized representatives. In this regard, all 39 ARC Members have been invited to attend the upcoming session of the CoP. Non-signatory countries, donors and partner organizations have also been invited to attend the meeting, as observers, without the right to vote. It is expected that various Departments of the AU Commission will also attend the Conference and invitations will be sent in due course. An estimated number of   85 participants are expected to attend this session of the CoP.

The CoP is the supreme organ of the ARC Agency. The CoP Session is divided into two sessions: the Senior Government Officials Session, on the first day (22 April 2024), and the Ministerial Session, on the second day (23 April 2024). As per the Rules of Procedure of the CoP, each Party shall send a delegation authorized by its Head of State, Head of Government, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Finance or the Minister responsible for overseeing ARC activities within the country. Permanent Representatives of Parties accredited to the AU are entitled to attend the CoP without additional authorization/credentials.

2. Organization of the CoP

The upcoming session of the CoP is being organized by the Secretariat of the ARC Agency in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment (DARBE). DARBE is the coordinating Department within the AU Commission for ARC Agency matters. However, the overall accountability and financial responsibility for the organization of the CoP meeting remains with the Secretariat of the ARC Agency. Virtual coordination meetings will be held between ARC Agency and DARBE to ensure that all logistical arrangements for the effective organization of the CoP are in place.

3. Expected Outcomes                                                                                     

The CoP will, inter alia, consider and take decisions regarding the following:

1. Activities of the ARC Group (ARC Agency and ARC Ltd) since the thirteenth session of the CoP.
2. Report of the ARC Group Board.
3. Appointment of the ARC Group Director General.
4. Selection of ARC Group Board Members.
5. ARC Agency’s 2024 Programme of Work and Budget.
6. Report on Implementation of Governance Reform and Challenges being faced.
7. Sustainability of ARC Agency.
8. ARC Treaty signature and ratification.

A detailed draft Agenda and Programme of Work/Schedule will be sent to all the Participants, in accordance with the Rules of Procedure of the CoP.

4. Format of the Session

As already indicated, the first day of the CoP, 22 April 2024 will be for the Senior Government Officials Session while the second day, 23 April 2024 will be for the Ministerial Session. Under the Rules of Procedure of the CoP, the CoP may decide to hold closed sessions on some of the items on the agenda. A closed session may only be attended by the 39 ARC Members, while ARC Treaty non-signatory states and partner organizations will be allowed to participate in the open sessions as observers. Unless decided otherwise, the Fourteenth Session is an open session and non-signatory countries and partners will participate, without the right to vote.

5. Date and Venue

The Fourteenth session of the CoP will be held on 22 – 23 April 2024 at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

6. Expected Outcomes

The Ministerial Session of the CoP will consider and adopt the Report and Recommendations made by the Senior Government Officials.