Events

30 January, 2014 Contact: Saleemah Abdul-Ghafur
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Saleemah@alma2015.org
+251 939 643 193
SEVEN AFRICAN COUNTRIES LEAD THE CONTINENT IN MALARIA CONTROL
Annual awards – bestowed at the AU – highlight how Africa’s future
is inextricably tied to progress in defeating malaria
Today during the official opening of the African Union Summit of heads of state, H.E. Armando Guebuza, President of Mozambique, conferred the 2014 African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) Awards for Excellence in Vector Control to Cape Verde, Madagascar, Malawi, Namibia, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe,and Swaziland. Each country has demonstrated exemplary leadership in maintaining at least 95% coverage year round of Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLIN) and/or Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) interventions, the most important tools in preventing malaria.
Malaria is a leading cause of child deaths and kills 627,000 people every year, most in Africa. The continent has made tremendous progress in the delivery and use of life-saving tools in the fight against malaria, including LLINs, IRS, rapid diagnostic tests, and effective treatments, including preventative care during pregnancy.

Yet malaria continues to wreak a huge toll on Africa. It burdens already fragile health systems; it is a leading cause of absenteeism in schools; it negatively impacts agricultural productivity and businesses large and small when employees and entrepreneurs are kept from their work; and it robs African countries of at least USD $12billion every year in economic potential.
“We cannot lose ground in our struggle to end preventable deaths and suffering from malaria” said President Guebuza, who serves as Chair of ALMA. “Our people and our communities are counting on us to continue to scale proveninterventions to insure that no African loses their livelihood or life to this ancient disease.”
Last month, the World Malaria Report declared that as a result of significant scaling-up of malaria control interventions, an estimated 3.1 million lives have been saved in Africa since 2000, reducing malaria mortality rates by 49%. And while funding challenges remain, resources for malaria prevention globally have grown from $100 million in 2000 to an estimated $1.9 billion in 2013. ALMA’s current Chair, H. E. President Guebuza of Mozambique, has rallied his peers and partners to increase malaria funding so that we sustain these impressive gains.

ALMA was founded by H.E. President Jakaya Kikwete of the United Republic of Tanzania to create a platform for Africa’s presidents and prime ministers to accelerate action on malaria prevention and control. ALMA’s second chair, H.E. President Ellen Sirleaf of Liberia, continued to promote performance and accountability through the innovative ALMA Scorecard for Accountability and Action. Winners of ALMA’s Awards for Excellence are selected by an independent committee representing the World Health Organization (WHO), Roll Back Malaria (RBM), the private sector, civil society and academia. For more information about ALMA and for a profile of the progress shown by the seven winning countries, please visit www.alma2015.org.

PRESS RELEASE No. 23 / 22nd AU SUMMIT

Email from the Future, Election of New Chairperson and Awards to Prominent Africans Mark Opening Session of African Union Assembly Meeting

Addis Ababa, 30 January 2014- An “email from the future” delivered by African Union Commission Chairperson Dr NkosazanaDlaminiZuma has served to encourage Africa to continue its fifty year development agenda (Agenda 2063), with the confidence that it is possible for the continent to achieve prosperity, integration and peace within that time, or less.

Delivered during the opening of the 22nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union, the email is written to a hypothetical “Kwame Nkrom” by “Nkosazana”.

Speaking from the year 2063, after the full implementation of Africa’s Agenda 2063, the email lauds the progress achieved in initiatives that are, at present, being pursued by Africa. These include programmes on achieving an integrated Africa,developing industry and manufacturing, advanced use of information and communication technologies, mastery over the oceans and their wealth, beneficiation of minerals and natural resources, intra African trade, and sufficient infrastructure. In her message to “Kwame”, “Nkosazana” talks about an Africa that has turned itself from an importer of food to a major exporter.
“My friend, Africa has indeed transformed herself from an exporter of raw materials with a declining manufacturing sector in 2013, to become a major food exporter, a global manufacturing hub, a knowledge centre,” the email reads.

The Africa of 2063, according to the email, isno longer a dark continent but rather one which islit up using hydro, solar, wind, and geo-thermal energy, in addition to fossil fuels. It isan Africa at peace with itself after having tackled the root causes of conflict. The email compliments the continent’s commitment to invest in its people, especially in the empowerment of young people and women, as being key issues that made peace happen. It mentions the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the formation of Organisation of African Unity held in May 2013 as having been the start of a major paradigm shift: a point where Africa took charge of its own narrative.

After reading her “email from the future”, the Chairperson sent a word of encouragement to all of Africa, that the contents of the email can be a reality. “It is impossible until it is done,” she concluded.

In the meantime, Dr Dlamini-Zuma announced the appointment of Mrs BintaDiop as Special Envoy for Women, Peace and Security, “to ensure that the voices of women and the vulnerable are heard much more clearly in peace-building and in conflict resolution”.

The opening session of the Assembly was also addressed by the Under Secretary General of the United Nations, who spoke about how the African Union and the United Nations can work together to address pressing crises and to build on Africa’s progress, announcing that “The United Nations is your unwavering partner” in the quest for advancement and growth.

The meeting, which elected President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz of Mauritania as the Chairperson of the African Union for the coming one year and Zimbabwe as the first Vice Chairperson, also heard from the newly elected President of the Republic of Madagascar Mr RajonarimamnianinaRakotoarimanana who paid tribute to his country men and women for making the choice for the restoration of constitutional order and going to the ballot box to elect their leaders. He proclaimed a new dawn for development, peace and security in his country but also added the urgent need for vital assistance for the country to realize its full potential.

President Jacob Zuma of South Africa took the floor to express his country’s appreciation for Africa’s support during the death and burial of its former President Mr Nelson Mandela last year. He paid homage to other African countries for having supported and harboured not just the leadership of the struggle against apartheid, but also many other South African liberation fighters and activists.

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Haiti, Mr. Laurent Salvador Lamothe took to the stage to deliver the message of Haitian solidarity with Africa on behalf of the country’s President, Mr. Michel Joseph Martelly.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Mr HaileMarianDesalegn gave his final address as Chairperson of the African Union before handing over to President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz. A press release on the Prime Minister’s statement as well as the statement itself is available at www.au.int

The opening ceremony also saw the presentation of US$100 000 prizes under the Kwame Nkurumah Scientific Awards to two prominent African scientists; awards to Heads of State and Governments who have successfully championed the fights against malaria, launch of 2014 as the Year of Agriculture and Food Security in Africa and an acceptance statement by the incoming Chairperson of the African Union, President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz. Press releases on all the events are also available at www.au.int as is the full list of the new bureau of the African Union.
WZM

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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NVITATION

PRESS BRIEFING OF PRESIDENT PIERRE BUYOYA
AU HIGH REPRESENTATIVE FOR MALI AND THE SAHEL

At the margins of the 22nd AU Summit, President Pierre Buyoya, African Union High Representative for Mali and the Sahel, will on Wednesday 29 January 2014 at 17h00, hold a press briefing in Conference Hall 4 of the new AU Conference Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

During his briefing President Buyoya will address the following issues:

- The establishment of the African Union Mission for Mali and the Sahel (MISAHEL)
- Achievements of MISAHEL
- Overview of security challenges in the Sahel region
- Priorities in 2014

Journalists are invited to take part in the press briefing.

Contacts
Ms Lulit Kebede
Communication Officer
Peace and Security Department
Tel: +251 91 121 1183
E-mail: lulitk@africa-union.org

Mr. Molalet Tsedeke
Media Center Coordinator
Directorate of Information and Communication
AU Commission
Tel: +251911630631
E-mail: molalett@africa-union.org

Ms Yaye Nabo Sène
Communication Officer
AU Mission to Mali and the Sahel (MISAHEL)
Tel : +223 20 22 18 22 - Ext 149
Cell: +223 75 94 12 70
E-mail: seney@africa-union.org
epsilone10@gmail.com

MEDIA ADVISORY

LAUNCH OF JOINT NEPAD-AUC PUBLICATION ON AGRICULTURE IN AFRICA

WHAT: Media is invited to attend the official launch of the AGRICULTURE IN AFRICA publication by the AUC Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture Mrs Tumusiime Rhoda Peace and NEPAD Chief Executive Officer Dr Ibrahim Mayaki.
DATE: Wednesday January 29, 2014
TIME: 14:30
WHERE: Press Briefing Room 1 on the ground floor
BACKGROUND: The Publication is a state of the art, defining the key priorities and opportunities to advance agriculture. It is developed within the context of sustaining the CAADP momentum and especially to inform decisions on key issues that will drive agriculture into to the next decade and beyond. It reflects debate and consultations going on with regard to two key themes, Agenda 2063 and Post 2015 Agenda.
For more details contact:
Maureen Nkandu – Head of NEPAD Communications
Phone: +251 927348384
Email: maureenn@nepad.org