African Union Commission Chairperson in High Level Discussions With Key US Representatives

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August 24, 2015

PRESS RELEASE Nº195/2015

AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION CHAIRPERSON IN HIGH LEVEL DISCUSSIONS WITH KEY US REPRESENTATIVES

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 24 August 2015- The Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma held wide ranging discussions with a high level delegation from the United States on 24th August, aimed at enhancing relations and cooperation between the USA and Africa. This is the fourth such meeting to be held between the two sides.

The US delegation was from the Congress and Senate and was led by Senator Chris Coons of the state of Delaware. In the meeting, attended by Commissioners of the AUC, Dr Dlamini Zuma briefly updated the visiting delegation on the key possible areas of enhanced cooperation.

Top of the agenda was health, where the Chairperson spoke of the need for the continent to strengthen its health systems. She observed that the Ebola outbreak that has taken the lives of thousands of Africans over the past two years provided valuable lessons for the continent and has also contributed to the development of an experienced corps of health workers. She said the continent is now in the process of setting up the Africa Center for Disease Control. However, she added that the long term solution to strengthening African health systems is to strengthen its economies.

On peace and security, Dr Dlamini Zuma noted that the AU is using its peace and security architecture in conflict prevention, as well as intervening where conflicts break out. The continent, she said, has taken a decision to silence the guns so as to develop a culture of resolving conflicts through dialogue and engagement. But, the Chairperson indicated the need for adequate and sustainable resources to execute its mandate of restoring peace.

“Our biggest contribution to peace and security are the men and women on the ground. There is no lack of solidarity and determination from Africa. But what would be ideal is to have more predictable and sustainable resources”, she informed the visitors.

Another critical factor brought up for discussion was the development and mainstreaming of youth and women in Africa. “If we don’t pay attention to youth it will be at our own peril”, Dr Dlamini Zuma cautioned, adding that the AU is concentrating on developing higher learning and skills development. She also called for more access to finance and resources for women engaged in agriculture and agro processing.

The AUC Chairperson noted the use of clean energies as an area of potential cooperation between the USA and Africa, especially at this time that the continent is pushing for more development and prosperity. In order to avoid being big polluters, she suggested that the continent should be assisted to adopt renewable energy instead of relying on fossil fuels.

The blue economy was another area brought up in the discussions, with the Chairperson saying that the continent has launched an African decade of oceans. African women, she added, have launched an organisation of women in maritime so as to be part of the development.

The Chairperson also took time to explain that African Union summits offer immunity to those who attend, in the same way that pertains to delegates to the United Nations general assembly meetings. This remark was by way of explaining the attendance of the Sudanese President Mr Omar Al Bashir at the last AU summit held in Johannesburg in June this year.

The Chairperson appealed to the Senators to facilitate for the U.S. to grant the African Union’s Observer Mission to the United Nations the required immunities and privileges as reiterated by the recent Summit of Heads of State and Government, reciprocating to the arrangements the AU offers the U.S. observer missions to the AU.

Other issues discussed in the meeting related to good governance, democracy and human rights, the fight against corruption, sustainable wildlife management, free movement of people and goods across the continent, infrastructure, climate change and reform of the United Nations to ensure that Africa gets permanent representation on the Security Council.

In response, the head of the US delegation Senator Chris Coon expressed his appreciation for the time taken by the AUC leadership to discuss such a broad range of issues. The US ambassador to the African Union Mr Reuben Brigety attended the meeting. Apart from the Chairperson, the AUC delegation consisted of the Commissioner of Political Affairs Dr Aisha Abdullahi, the Commissioner of Social Affairs Dr Mustapha Sidiki Kaloko and other senior members of the Commission. WZM

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Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

AUC Chairperson