MOU Agreement between the African Union Commission and Pamuzinda Productions

Addis Ababa - 22 April 2013 - The African Union Commission and Pamuzinda Productions today signed a Memorandum of Understanding to facilitate collaboration between the two parties in matters of communication, especially on the audiovisual component of the African Union Commission’s Strategy of Communication and Advocacy. The agreement was signed at the headquarters of the AU in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia by The African Union Commission’s Director of Information and Communication, Mrs. Habiba Mejri Cheikh, on behalf of the AUC and by Mr. Daniel Makokera, Chief Executive Officer of Pamuzinda Productions.

The main objectives of this MoU are to communicate the work of the African Union, including AU organs, Commission and Regional Economic Communities in such a way that it is captivating and draws audiences from across a wide spectrum that are interesting in what is going on across the continent as well as give extensive coverage to the work of the organs of the African Union, including the Pan African Parliament, the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights and the Economic Social and Cultural Council. It aims also to promote the role of women on the continent; focusing on the youth and their participation in continental events as well as furthering economic growth and integration.

The Director of Information and Communication, Mrs. Habiba Mejri Cheikh underlined that this cooperation which will be done through the creation of news programmes on the work of the African Union, including documentaries, round-table discussions and in-depth-analyses, intends to provide the African Union with a dedicated audiovisual structure to publicize its work, explain its decisions, create understanding and enthusiasm amongst Africans for what the African Union, its organs and RECs are doing and to enhance the overall aims of unity, integration peace, prosperity and sustainable human development on the continent.

Pamuzinda CEO borrowed a quote from her Excellency the chairperson of the AUC: "the AU does a lot of work, but our challenge is getting it out to the peoples of Africa”. Mr Makokera said with this MoU, Pamuzinda hopes to address the chairperson's concerns, working with the AU DIC. We aim through the media to capture the imagination of many Africans, when it comes to telling the AU story. We hope this MoU will help create a lasting legacy for generations to come, Mr Makokera quipped.

He added that now that the MoU has been signed, the real work begins.

Pamuzinda Productions (Pty) Ltd, established in 2003, is an independent African media production house based in Johannesburg, South Africa with offices in Johannesburg and Cape Town as well as Zimbabwe and Rwanda.