Events

Press Release Nº191/2015

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – 18 August 2015: Visiting Vice Minister of External Relations of India, H.E. Mr. Navtej Sarna, has delivered an invitation from India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the African Union Commission Chairperson, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, to attend the upcoming Africa-India Summit in Delhi on October 2015.

Delivering the invitation on Tuesday 18 August 2015 at the AU Headquarters, Vice Minister said, “The Summit is looked upon with a huge amount of importance, to widen and deepen engagement with Africa.” He highlighted the fact that it is the first Summit since the celebrations of 50th anniversary of the Organisation of African Unity, now African Union, the inauguration of the new Government of India and the adoption of Africa’s Agenda 2063.

The AU Commission Chairperson said she hopes to attend. “We are very keen to have a joint focused programme aligned to Africa’s Agenda 2063. There is quite an array of complementarities, which we aim to work on together in the next 4-5 years, to grow the partnership,” Dr. Dlamini Zuma noted.

The Summit and its outcome programme are expected to tailor their focus around Africa’s priority areas as articulated in the Agenda 2063, the continental development blueprint, such as training and skills development, women and youth’s empowerment, and the blue economy.

On the margins of the Summit, a number of side events will take place, such as an Editors Forum, Trade Forum, and Academic Forum with Universities and Think Tanks.

/JEE

Press Release Nº188/2015

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – 14 August 2015: The humanitarian situation in South Sudan remains of great concern to the African Union Commission Chairperson Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma. She reiterated her worry on the humanitarian situation when she met with the United States Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan Donald Booth, on 14 August 2015, at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

“For people to die of hunger is demeaning, and to have their bodies eaten up by vultures after suffering a horrible death, is just awful.” Dr. Dlamini Zuma expressed her dismay to find out that food is being utilised as a weapon. She calls on the leaders of South Sudan to show compassion their people.

Fully engaged in the current state of affairs in South Sudan, Dr. Dlamini Zuma urges the South Sudanese urgently stop the violence and end the suffering of its people.

The AU Commission Chairperson and the visiting U.S Envoy exchanged on the negotiation lead to arrive at a final agreement between the South Sudanese protagonists, expected on 17 August 2015.

Apart from discussing the humanitarian situation, Mr. Donald Booth briefed Dr. Dlamini Zuma on his meetings and engagements with the South Sudanese authorities, particularly following the meeting held on the margins of President Barack Obama’s visit to Ethiopia on 27 July 2015.

They also discussed the report of the AU’s Commission of Inquiry on South Sudan, which is at the moment under the consideration by the AU Peace and Security Council.

TF/JEE

Press Release Nº183/2015

AU Commission Chairperson Congratulates Egypt on inauguration of New Suez Canal

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 6 August, 2015: The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, congratulates the President of Egypt, H.E Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the government and the people of Egypt on the inauguration of the New Suez Canal. The Chairperson enthusiastically applauds this monumental accomplishment; a feat achieved within the space of a single year.

The New Suez Canal inaugurated on Thursday 6 August is expected to significantly enhance trade volumes. This key infrastructure will contribute to an increase in Egyptian National Income – through an envisioned increase in hard currency gains and the creation of additional employment opportunities, especially for youth living along the canal and in the surrounding areas.

Dr. Dlamini Zuma expressed her appreciation for this momentous venture undertaken by the Egyptian people and extended her best wishes for the successful exploitation of the new projected. "It is a profound pleasure to see a Member State making significant progress in the global trade arena, and even more encouraging to witness this growth and exploitation of Africa’s blue economy”, she said.

Dr. Dlamini Zuma offered special congratulations to the people of Egypt, whose happiness she shares on this day essentially viewed by the Egyptian government as highly historic.

The inauguration of the New Suez Canal is a significant step - in terms of the ability of the Egyptian government to attract foreign investment through increased commercial navigation on the Mediterranean Sea – and the stabilization the security situation in the region.

It is projected that the new Suez Canal will boost the Egyptian economy as a result of a vast increase in the average rate of vehicles (ships) journeying through the channel. The expectation, according to the government of Egypt, is that revenues derived from the use of the enlarged waterway will rise by over 200%.

This portends well not only for Egypt, but also for the African continent as a whole, as it enhances the continent’s productivity and competitiveness in the global arena, paving the way towards the realisation of Agenda 2063.

Press Release Nº179/2015

AU Commission Chairperson sends best wishes to African athletes participating in the Indian Ocean Island Games

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – 2 August 2015: The African Union Commission Chairperson H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma has sent a message of best wishes to all African athletes, coaches, team officials, volunteers and organizers of the Island States participating in the Indian Ocean Island Games (IOIG) in Reunion Island, from the 1st to the 9th of August 2015.

The 9th edition of the IOIG, a multi-sport event with also a youth and cultural component, was officially opened on Saturday 1 August on Reunion Island. Athletes from Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Maldives, Mayotte, Reunion Island and the Seychelles will participate in sports and cultural events from the 1st to 9th August 2015.

“I have no doubt that the ideals of non-violence, fair play and tolerance, being at the heart of all competitions, will prevail in this important sporting event of the Indian Ocean.

I appeal to all those who will be part of the event to fully live the principles of friendship, fair play, acceptance and solidarity during the ten days of competition and youth cultural events,” Dr. Dlamini Zuma said after the opening of the games.

The AUC Chairperson also reiterated the Commission’s recognition of the sovereignty of the Union of the Comoros over Mayotte. This is in support of the decision of the Comorian delegation to walk out after the Mayotte delegation used the French flag instead of the flag of the Games as stipulated by the Games’ Charter.

The AUC Chairperson has congratulated all athletes who have already won medals and sent her encouragements to the other competitors.

Sports have always been a unifying factor in Africa and in the world. The AU encourages participation in such sporting events as the Indian Ocean Island Games as occasions for interacting and forging strong bonds of friendship between people.

FS/JEE

Directorate of Information and Communication

Directorate of Information and Communication | Information and Communication | African Union Commission
Tel: +251-11-5517700 | Fax: | E-mail: DIC@africa-union.org | Web:www.au.int

Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

Press Release No. 173/2015

President Obama hails Africa’s development in a historic visit to the African Union Headquarters

Description: 4Addis Ababa, 28 July 2015: "Although we welcome you as the President of the United States of America, we also claim you as our own”. With those words, H.E Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, welcomed the US President H.E. Barack Hussein Obama to the AU Headquarters, today Tuesday 28th July 2015. The visit is the first by a sitting USA president to the African Union.

AUC Chairperson noted the strong and historic bond of Africa and the USA, which forged with the blood and sweat of African sons and daughters captured and forced across the Atlantic Ocean, toiling on the plantations and cities that made the United States into the great country it is.

The Chairperson also warmly welcomed the Congressional delegation, recalling their bipartisan unwavering support, and the support of ordinary Americans, to the African struggle against colonialism and apartheid.

She further highlighted that this visit comes at a time when the African continent has adopted a framework for its development for the coming fifty years, Agenda 2063, the Africa we want. “Africa is a youthful continent and likely to remain so over the next few decades. By the end of this century, one in three of the world’s population will be African. Over half of its population is women. Our people therefore remain our most precious resource” she added.

Description: 2AUC Chairperson said the continent is in a unique position to chart its development and industrialization path that is different, through renewable energy and climate-smart agriculture, highlighting its endeavors in technology, infrastructure, and Launching of negotiations for the Continental Free Trade Area, to enhance intra-Africa and global trade and investments and others

However, despite progress, AUC acknowledged the challenges that Africa facing, include terrorism and corruption. “We are as concerned as you are with the global threats of terrorism and extremism and Africa is playing its part in the fight against Al-Shabaab and Boko Haram. South Sudan and Libya area also major challenges, and we hope that the IGAD process will bear fruits by the next scheduled meeting. We must all work to build greater tolerance for religious, cultural and political diversity, and build inclusive societies” she added.

Corruption as a global phenomenon is of great concern to us. Contrary to popular perceptions of corruption in Africa, the report of the Panel chaired by former President Thabo Mbeki on the Illicit Financial Flows from the continent (amounting to over 50 billion US dollars per year) shows, that over 60% of these outflows are as a result of the activities of large commercial companies, with criminal activity accounting for a further a 30% and political corruption less than 10%. We must therefore tackle this issue head-on, based on accurate diagnosis of where the problem lies, and through collective action” Dr. Zuma said.

The Chairperson also called for investing in women, saying women’s empowerment is not only a human rights issue, but also makes economic sense, and is a guarantee for sustainable peace, community stability and cohesion. She further pointed out women’ contribution to the prosperity of families and communities, especially since women on average contribute 70% of their income to the household, whilst men on average only contribute 30% of their incomes towards households and communities. “It is critical to shared prosperity and to Africa becoming a prosperous, integrated, peaceful, people-centered continent, playing a dynamic role in the world” she concluded.

In his farewell speech, following a historic trip to Kenya and Ethiopia, U.S. President Barack Obama hailed Africa's extraordinary progress, while noting that such progress can only be sustained through continued progress and democracy for all. It was the first speech to the AU by a sitting USA president.

“I stand before you as a proud American. I also stand before you as the son of an African” said President Obama during his address to the African Union. He summarized his personal interest in seeing Africa’s continued economic and developmental growth as it sheds a history of colonialism. Obama hailed the continent’s gains, from a plummeting HIV/AIDS infections rate to millions of Africans being lifted out of poverty, while championing the U.S. role in such gains.

President Obama also stressed the need for strong functional institutions and reforms in trade and industry to help the continent generate more jobs, boosted by its imminent population boom that could help foster employment opportunities.

Urging Africa's leaders to make their countries more attractive to foreign investment, the US President also called for ending corruption, upholding democratic freedoms, supporting human rights, and observing proper mediums of power transfer, as it is the African people who can best liberate themselves from the wide spread political, social and moral vices that have scared the continent. He further urging the African Union to spear head all development agendas and lead by example.

He called on the AU to use its authority to help make sure African leaders stick to their term limits and follow their constitutions. "Nobody should be president for life," said Obama, who leaves office in January 2017.

US President also stressed that peace and security is very pertinent in Africa's progress, as it creates increased level of investment potential in the continent, pledging continuous U.S support and collaboration in the fight against terrorism.

President Obama’s visit to the AU Headquarter marks the end of a five-day tour to Africa that included an earlier stop in Kenya where he participated in the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Nairobi.

For further information contact

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