Showing posts with label AU. Show all posts
Showing posts with label AU. Show all posts

Friday, July 1, 2011

President Obiang Urges Unity and Solidarity in Africa


Equatorial Guinea's president Teodoro Obiang Nguema (R) and wife Constancia Mangue de Obiang arrive for the inauguration of South Africa's fourth President Jacob Zuma in Pretoria on May 9, 2009. AFP Photo/POOL/Jerome Delay (Photo credit should read JEROME DELAY/AFP/Getty Images) >

30 Jun 2011 19:31 Africa/Lagos


President Obiang Urges Unity and Solidarity in Africa

PR Newswire

MALABO, Equatorial Guinea, June 30, 2011

AU Chairman Stresses the Need to Further Strengthen the Continent's Youth

MALABO, Equatorial Guinea, June 30, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a speech which called on all Africans to work together to solve problems facing the continent, President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, addressed leaders from Africa's 54 nations and around the world. President Obiang, who is also chairman of the African Union, told member countries that even though they are "often exposed to pressures created by external nations," they must work together to strengthen the resolve and influence of the union.

The Republic of Equatorial Guinea continues to host leaders from across the African continent and around the world at the 17th African Union Summit in Malabo. Following the theme "Accelerating Youth Empowerment for Sustainable Development," the conference held a Symposium on Youth Employment, organized by the World Health Organization in collaboration with the Department of Social Affairs and other institutions. The conference's goal is to highlight the steps recommended by the African Youth Forum held in Addis Ababa on the African Union Summit held earlier this year.

Building upon the theme of strengthening youth to foster positive growth on the continent, President Obiang stressed in his speech to the delegations, that the Union must invest in its young people to build the capacity of the continent. In such, President Obiang proposed hosting the new headquarters of an African Union Voluntary Youth Corp in Equatorial Guinea's new Sipopo development project.

The African Union Voluntary Youth Corp would work expeditiously to address development deficiencies and to overcome the limitations of Africa's leadership evolution and transition among the continents growing youth population.

President Obiang stressed the need for young people to play an active part in the betterment of the entire continent. The involvement of youth in the institutions of government, the economy and culture must be embraced.

Regarding the Arab Spring, "with revolutions claiming their rights against regimes in power," President Obiang said, "these claims cannot be considered as an negative force of youth, when the claims are just and necessary."

"The African Union Summit should be a new starting point that drives Africans together and strengthens the Union," concluded Obiang. This can only be achieved "through the unity of Africa and solidarity of African governments and their people."

President Obiang also participated in the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), at the 25th Orientation Committee of Heads of State and Government.

Heads of State and of Government continued to the 15th meeting of the forum of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) led by the Ethiopian Prime Minister and Chairman of the Forum of the APRM, as well as Jean Ping, Chairman of the African Union Commission.

About Equatorial Guinea

The Republic of Equatorial Guinea (Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial) is the only Spanish-speaking country in Africa, and one of the smallest nations on the continent. In the late-1990s, American companies helped discover the country's oil and natural gas resources, which only within the last five years began contributing to the global energy supply. Equatorial Guinea is now working to serve as a pillar of stability and security in its region of West Central Africa. The country will host the 2011 Summit of the African Union. For more information, visit http://www.guineaecuatorialpress.com.

SOURCE Republic of Equatorial Guinea
NOTE TO EDITORS: This has been distributed by Qorvis Communications, LLC on behalf of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea. More information on this relationship is on file at the United States Department of Justice, Washington, DC.

CONTACT: Matt Lauer, +1-703-463-1841


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Saturday, May 28, 2011

G8/Africa joint declaration / Shared values, shared responsibilities

27 May 2011 20:02 Africa/Lagos

G8/Africa joint declaration / Shared values, shared responsibilities

ADDIS ABABA, May 27, 2011/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- G8/Africa joint declaration


1.

The G8 and Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Senegal, and South Africa, and the African Union Commission, highlight the importance of an enhanced partnership between the G8 and Africa. Africa is on the move, and is becoming a new pole for global growth, even if challenges to be addressed remain, particularly in the least developed countries. The G8 and Africa stand side-by-side during this key time of change.

2.

To reach our objectives, we are determined to further promote together shared values, notably peace and human rights, democratic governance and sustainable development, and we will continue to endorse our respective and shared responsibilities in this regard, in a spirit of mutual accountability.

* * *

Peace, Security and Governance

3.

We welcome the overall progress that has been made towards stability and democracy on the continent. Several long-lasting armed conflicts have come to an end and democratic processes are becoming the norm and no longer the exception. However, we need to address remaining challenges, notably respect for free and fair election results and for the rule of law, people's aspirations for increased democratic openness, and resolution of the persisting conflicts. Current global threats such as terrorism, trafficking in human beings, arms and drugs, organized crime and piracy likewise, require strengthening national and regional initiatives in Africa with the support of the international community and increased global cooperation.

4.

We commend the steadfast support of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union and the United Nations for the free and sovereign will of the Ivorian people. We express our deep concern over the grave humanitarian and socio-economic situation in Côte d'Ivoire. In this

regard, we call on the International Community as a whole to extend the necessary support to alleviate the plight of the refugees and internally displaced persons as a matter of urgency and to lend support to President Alassane Ouattara and his government to enable them to restore lasting peace, security stability and economic recovery throughout the country. We also encourage the Ivoirian authorities to spare no efforts to take the necessary steps to address the issues of justice, peace and reconciliation among all Ivoirian people, and to implement the pending issues of the Ouagadougou Political Agreements, including those relating to Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration of ex-combatants.

5.

We commend the African Union High Level Implementation Panel for Sudan for its work with the Sudanese parties. While congratulating the parties to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and the people of Sudan for the successful conclusion of the 2011 referendum, we condemn the recent escalation of violence in Abyei. We call on all parties to withdraw all unauthorized forces from the area, to uphold their previous commitments, and we call on the parties to reach agreements on all outstanding issues of the CPA, particularly the status of Abyei, oil issues and debt. We also urge the parties to reach a speedy conclusion to the negotiations on post-referendum arrangements between Sudan and an independent South Sudan, within the framework of good neighbourhood and the mutual economic viability of the two states. We express concern about the persistent violence and insecurity in Darfur and call on all parties to engage with a view to reaching a speedy solution in the context of the Doha Process mediated by the Joint Chief Mediator and the Government of Qatar. We encourage G8 and African countries' continued cooperation and mutual efforts to these ends, including through the Sudan Consultative Forum.

6.

We urge the Somalia's Transitional Federal Government (TFG) to broaden and consolidate the reconciliation process and to work with the international community with a view to agreeing on the way forward notably on how to end the transition and on the key tasks ahead such as the constitutional process after the Transitional Federal Institutions' mandate expires in August 2011. We call on all actors to support an inclusive, Somali-led process as the means to resolve the conflict. We commend the action undertaken by the African Union and its mission, AMISOM, and express our full support for the mission and the effort of the UN Secretary General's Special Representative for Somalia. We commit to remain constructively engaged on Somalia and to support international efforts for the establishment of a peaceful and secure environment in which human rights and democratic institutions can develop at all levels.

7.

We welcome the Political Declaration and Action Plan adopted at the G8 Ministerial Meeting on Transatlantic Cocaine Trafficking on May 10 and aimed at strengthening the international and regional cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking on both sides of the Atlantic.

8.

We reaffirm our commitment to fight against all forms of terrorism and address the conditions conducive to terrorism in full compliance with international law, in particular the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and international conventions. We encourage the creation of regional strategies to take into account all the dimensions of this transnational threat. We stand ready to assist the countries affected by this scourge in building their own capacities to fight terrorism and terrorist groups.

9.

We express our continued concern regarding the serious threat of piracy, in particular emanating from Somalia. We underline our determination to continue to respond resolutely to this threat, through a coordinated response at sea and by tackling longer-term regional capability development needs, including through the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia, as well as the comprehensive strategy that would address the root causes of piracy and reinforce the Somali capacity. In parallel, we agree that effective prosecution including execution of sentences need increased support. We welcome the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1976, which represents a significant step forward in the fight against piracy off the coast of Somalia.

10.

We welcome efforts made by the African Union and the regional economic communities to build up the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), including the African Standby Force, as well as the successful implementation of the G8 Action Plan, adopted at the Sea Island Summit in 2004, to reinforce African peacekeeping capabilities. We stress the need to further enhance the APSA in a spirit of mutual accountability, and we recognize the progress made with the recent APSA assessment and the adoption of the indicative elements for the APSA Roadmap. We emphasize the importance of improving coordination between all stakeholders in providing assistance and of promoting African ownership, in order to ensure maximum impact and sustainability of peace and security initiatives on the African continent.

11.

Respect for human rights, the rule of law and democratic governance, as well as gender equality, are of key importance to sustaining development, stability and democracy. We welcome the African Union decision on speeding up the ratification of African governance and human rights instruments, in particular the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance. We recall our support to the African Governance Architecture, in particular the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), and we encourage further implementation of the APRM National Programmes of Action's recommendations. We also encourage ratification and full implementation of the African Charter on Human and People's Rights and its Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa.

12.

We fully support the action taken by the African Union and African regional organizations to fight unconstitutional regime changes. We encourage further efforts to ensure the rule of law and the respect of human rights and to tackle impunity. We strongly welcome the initiatives taken by several African countries to set up transitional justice mechanisms to address human rights violations. These actions need to be further developed.

Economic Development and Environment

13.

Africa is increasingly a destination for foreign investment and private sector development. The challenge today is to build on the current and positive dynamic of the African economy to achieve a more inclusive, shared and sustainable growth that creates jobs, ensures human security and empowers individuals, especially the younger generation. We need to intensify our efforts on drivers for economic growth, including human capital development, regional and global trade integration, business environment, domestic resources mobilization, and scaling up access to infrastructures and related services, including for energy, transport, information and communication technologies. In this regard, we welcome the conclusions of the 16th meeting of the Africa Partnership Forum (APF) on 21 April 2011 in Paris.

14.

Beyond traditional official development assistance (ODA), African countries need to attract additional domestic and foreign direct investment to finance economic growth, while preserving debt sustainability. Mutual efforts to improve the regulatory framework and the business environment, and to fight corruption, need to be strengthened. To this end, we will establish a dialogue within the APF, involving business, to increase momentum and help remove obstacles to business environment reform. We encourage responsible investment by all stakeholders and call on companies to improve their corporate and social responsibility.

15.

Regional integration is essential to increase growth and stability in Africa. Ambitious strategies have been adopted but progress in implementing those remains slow and uneven. African economies are also not sufficiently integrated into global supply chains. We support an ambitious vision for regional integration initiatives and free trade areas in Africa, as building blocks to deeper integration at a later stage. We welcome the proposed focus of the January 2012 African Union Summit on boosting intra-African trade for the means of fostering a better regional and continental integration on this issue. We will continue to support the African Union and regional economic communities to fully implement their action plans, including the Minimum Integration Programme of the African Union. We encourage increased coordination between them and with the African Union. We will support actions to improve the efficiency of key trade corridors, especially those that are important for accelerating trade in Africa's landlocked countries, notably the implementation of the corridor action plans developed by the regional economic communities. We also call for policy reforms required for increasing regional trade and improving infrastructure. Taking into consideration the specific challenge the continent is facing, we call for concerted action by the international community, and notably through the Multilateral Development Banks, to prioritise Africa in financing infrastructure projects.

16.

Regional integration in Africa is also crucial to ensure the effective integration of the continent in the global markets. We reiterate our commitment to advance the process of trade liberalization and rule-making to strengthen the multilateral system, and are ready to explore all negotiating options to bring the Doha round to a conclusion including with regard to the priorities of least developed countries (LDCs) in line with the Doha mandate.

17.

Improved domestic resources mobilisation is crucial to sustain development, strengthen growth resilience and reduce aid dependency. Improving taxation administration systems and policies in developing countries will help build a sustainable revenue base to fund nationally owned development plans.

18.

Transparency in payments and revenue collection linked to extractive resources and sound financial governance on the management of these revenues are essential to taking full advantage of domestic resources and ensuring delivery of public goods and services for citizens. More broadly, transparent, fair and functioning public financial systems are very important requirements for poverty reduction as well as sustainable and self-determined development. Good financial governance on both the revenue and spending sides is a key prerequisite to reach this. Therefore, we emphasize the importance of further fostering the 2007 G8 Action Plan on Good Financial Governance in Africa and welcome the ongoing African-led development efforts for Good Financial Governance.

19.

We will all continue to support transparency in other areas including through the full implementation of the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI). We call on all countries, notably resource-rich countries, and extractive companies to join or support this initiative. We also welcome the complementary efforts to increase revenue transparency, and commit to setting in place transparency laws and regulations or to promoting voluntary standards that require or encourage oil, gas, and mining companies to disclose the payments they make to governments. We encourage full implementation of international and regional initiatives to tackle illegal exploitation of and trade in natural resources in Africa, such as the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region Action Plan adopted in Lusaka in December 2010. A comprehensive and global approach is needed to address the illegal exploitation of and trade in mineral resources and promote sound natural resources management, including the protection of forests.

20.

The G8 will continue to support capacity building and technical cooperation on macro-economic governance, domestic taxation, public financial management, and negotiations of concessions and contracts.

21.

Limited access to energy along both dimensions – electricity and cooking fuels – remains a major concern. It is a key bottleneck for economic development and poverty reduction, and the widespread use of traditional cooking fuels is at the origin of severe negative health and environmental impacts. We therefore emphasize the need to ensure access to sustainable energy services, with a particular focus on renewable energy sources. The G8 will continue to support projects for access to energy, both decentralised and centralised, notably those with a regional dimension and a sustainable development perspective, as well as cross-border trade and capacity-building initiatives on energy. The African Union-NEPAD Action Plan and the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) constitute appropriate frameworks to mobilise foreign direct investment. We stress the need for institutional and regulatory reforms to attract increased investment, notably from the private sector.

22.

We deem of the utmost importance that the use of large river water resources should have in due consideration the interests of both upstream and downstream countries in order to reach agreements aiming at common development.

23.

Agriculture in Africa can serve as an important driver of broad-based sustainable economic growth and development. Sustainable increases in agricultural productivity and production offers ample opportunities to attract private-sector investment and leverage private sources of capital, create jobs, raise income of farmers and stimulate inclusive growth in rural Africa. They contribute to better food security and are key factors in counteracting price volatility. We commit to improving food security in Africa by enhancing cooperation among the G8 and Africa through the L'Aquila Food Security Initiative and the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).

Mutual accountability

24.

In a spirit of mutual accountability, we are fully committed to meeting our commitments and to monitoring their implementation, with a view to achieving the Millenium Development Goals by 2015, strengthening economic growth and job creation, and addressing global challenges.

25.

We welcome the mutual accountability process, and the 2011 G8 Accountability Report on health and food security and the first African Union and NEPAD Accountability Report on the G8/Africa Partnership. We recognise the need to continue our efforts to improve the mutual accountability process.

26.

We encourage mutual accountability and transparency in the use of domestic and external resources for development and we encourage civil society and private sector stakeholders to foster accountability at all levels. Accountability mechanisms should monitor performance and provide for adequate incentives for compliance. We call on all donors and African partners to provide transparent and comprehensive information on aid flows and participate in multilateral accountability efforts. We welcome the determination of Japan to hold the TICAD Ministerial Meeting held in Dakar on 1 and 2 May despite the challenges caused by the recent disaster.

27.

Ahead of the Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness to be held later this year in Busan, Korea, we welcome efforts to implement the Paris Declaration and the Accra Agenda for Action. Major challenges remain such as involving new stakeholders in the development agenda, including new donors and the private sector, enhancing the impact of aid, limiting aid fragmentation through a better division of labor, strengthening institutional capacities, and increasing accountability and transparency. We call for a reinforced focus on the impact and outcomes of aid and development policies.

28.

Considering the remaining challenges, we stress the urgent need to mobilise a wide range of resources for development and global public goods. ODA is a key element for African developing countries, in particular least developed countries and fragile states. We reaffirm our commitments, including on ODA and enhancing aid effectiveness. In synergy with other sources of funding, ODA also serves as a catalyst for key development policies and to leverage for private investment for economic growth. We stress the need to go beyond aid and mobilize other resources as stated in the Monterrey consensus, including domestic resources, innovative financing, migrant remittances, market instruments used by development banks and private sector flows.

* * *

29.

The challenges lying ahead are considerable. But so is our shared commitment to overcome them. We will act in the spirit of partnership aimed at liberating development potential of one billion Africans.


Source: African Union Commission (AUC)



Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Google celebrates Africa Day




Google celebrates Africa Day, the annual commemoration on May 25 of the 1963 founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), when leaders of 30 of the 32 independent African states signed a founding charter in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

In 1991, the OAU established the African Economic Community, and in 2002 the OAU established its own successor, the African Union. However, the name and date of Africa Day has been retained as a celebration of African unity.



25 May 2011 20:44 Africa/Lagos

Address by Dr Jean Ping, African Union Commission Chairperson on the occasion of the commemoration of Africa Day / Wednesday 25 May 2011

ADDIS ABABA, May 25, 2011/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- Address by Dr Jean Ping, African Union Commission Chairperson on the occasion of the commemoration of Africa Day


Your Excellency the President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Chairperson of the African Union;

Your Excellency the Prime Minister of the Republic of India;

Your Majesty;

Your Excellency Heads of State and Government;

Honorable Ministers;

The Heads of the Regional Economic communities

Distinguished Ambassadors;

Friends and partners of Africa

Distinguished Invited guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

Allow me first of all to sincerely thank you all for having graced this ceremony with your presence. I wish you a warm welcome.


As is the custom every year, today, the 25th of May 2011, we are celebrating Africa Day. This anniversary commemorates the birth of the Organization of African Unity on May 25 1963. Indeed, by this solemn act, our founding fathers, keen to safeguard and consolidate the independence of our countries, hitherto under the yoke of colonization, and in a bid to strengthen solidarity across Africa and see through the task of the total liberation of Africa, did not only lay the foundation of our unity through a common African identity, but also triggered the dynamics of actions and efforts towards integration and sustainable development that our continent is today pursuing.

Today, about 62℅ of the overall population of Africa is below 35 years old and more than 20℅ are between the 15 and 24 years age bracket. By 2020, more than 70 % of Africa's youth will be at least twenty years old. This means that out of every four persons that we come across in the streets of Cairo, Nairobi, Brazzaville, Lagos, Malabo or Johannesburg; three are less than twenty.

With an average of 5.2 children per woman, Africa registers the highest number of births in the world, the yearly birth rate being 2.2℅. It is therefore not surprising that about 10 million African youth knock at the door of the labour market every year… Many of these youth are ill- prepared for the job market, owing to the persisting gaps in our educational systems. The result is that 71℅ of African youth live on less than US$2 a day.

The Arab spring marked by the groundswell that swept across Tunisia and Egypt, right here on our continent, has confirmed the imperious need to address the legitimate concerns and worries of the youth who are the largest component of our society. They are becoming increasingly poor, discontented and more and more radical.

In an era of unbridled globalization characterized amongst other things by new ways of life like the celebrity culture, the loss of the value of hard work in favour of the get rich quick attitude and idleness; many youth in developing countries and not only in Africa mirror their future in what they often consider as the Eldorado, often Europe and the United States. They would stop at nothing to undertake the journey to this illusory promise land even at the peril of their lives; having the feeling that the only prospects at home are disappointments, discouragement, even a feeling of injustice coupled with revolt…

-Disappointment for those who on completing their education struggle to find a job matching their qualifications.

- Discouragement for those without certificates doomed to precarious jobs.

- lastly, the feeling of injustice and revolt for those who are deprived of any hope and feel forgotten, ignored, or rejected by society.

By deciding to focus on the theme “Accelerating Youth Empowerment for a Sustainable Development” and recalling that the 8th Labour and Social Affairs Commission which held in Yaoundé in April 2011 dwelt on the theme “Promoting Youth Employment for Social Cohesion and Inclusive Growth”, the African Union, attests the importance it attaches to the primordial role and contribution of the youth in the development process. It also confirms the will of African leaders to continue their efforts for the creation of an enabling environment to better address the needs of the youth. For some years now this has been articulated by numerous activities undertaken across the continent at the centre of the development agenda for the youth, who are indispensable stakeholders in efforts to support Africa's development.

The adoption in 2006 of the African Youth Charter and its entry into force in 2009, mark the starting point of a new and strong push. As this Charter seeks to promote the participation of youths and their organizations to a wide range of inter-generational dialogue on the development of policies and initiatives designed to ensure that the views and aspirations of young people are considered.

As part of this drive, the celebration of the African Youth Day in 2008, the institutionalization of November 1st as African Youth Day and the Declaration of 2009-2018 as the Decade for Youth Development have given a new impetus to the Pan African Youth Union whose headquarters is in Khartoum Sudan.

Heeding to the call of Heads of States and Government, the African Union Commission has embarked on actions, programmes and projects aimed at enhancing the capacities of young people and improving their participation in social, political and economic activities on the continent. I will illustrate this with a few examples, namely:

• The creation of the African Union Youth Volunteers Corps. In this respect, I am happy to recall that a Second Training Session for 100 young volunteers is scheduled for 13 June in the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, in Malabo;

• The promotion of technical and vocational training which demonstrates the importance of the latter in our countries and regions;

• The establishment of a database for African youth organisations.

The United Nations has declared August 2010-August 2011 as the International Year of the Youth. I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate that a united Africa will be strong and respected. Hence the common position for the development of the African youth presented by all the African youth ministers at the World Youth Conference in Mexico in July 2010 was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in September 2010 and is henceforth part of the 2010 Agenda for the world's youth.

Africa is resolved to fight and win the battle to enhance its youth's competitiveness in the international arena. This will lead to the establishment of the Pan African University with its five regional institutes and affiliated national centres that will meet world standards in quality training in research, science and technology as well as engineering and mathematics. Three of these institutes shall open in the last quarter of 2011. These are:

• The Institute of Earth and Life Sciences in Ibadan, Nigeria;

• The Institute of Governance, Social Sciences and Humanities in Yaoundé, Cameroon and,

• The Institute of Basic Sciences, Technology and Innovation in Nairobi, Kenya.

The Pan African University is designed to attract and keep on the continent talented and motivated young people by providing an enabling environment for their blossoming in research and studies. It will also help to rekindle the sense of belonging to Africa, considering the fundamental and proven role of training institutions, schools, and universities in the building of a common African identity.

With regard to Science, the foundation stone of the African Observatory of Science, Technology and Innovation shall be laid in Malabo, during the next African Union Heads of State and Government Summit in July. Equatorial Guinea has offered to host this institution and to provide the start-up funds. This Observatory shall help to develop the scientific potential of our young researchers. The decision to set up this institution was taken at the January 2007 Summit of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa.

Your Excellencies,

Dear friends

We all know that the youth, with their energy, innovative capacity as well as their aspirations are an asset that no State or society can afford to ignore. They are an engine and a critical resource for sustainable development, both at national and continental level. With their inherent values, the youth are also a catalyst for change and transformation of the society.

Young ladies and gentlemen of Africa,

The African Union believes strongly that the future of Africa hinges on your dynamism, enthusiasm, energy and courage. You are indeed the leaders and decision-makers of tomorrow. The foundation of Africa rests on your ideas and actions. You are the future, the driving force that will contribute to the emergence of a continent where life is pleasant, an Africa that can meet its needs and that is free from fear. Like our founding fathers, who in their prime, fought for ideals such as independence and national sovereignty, I challenge you today to rekindle this passion for our motherland and demonstrate your confidence for Africa and its future! Africa is counting on you.

I wish you a happy Africa Day,

Long live Africa and long live the youth of Africa!



Source: African Union Commission (AUC)


Monday, August 30, 2010

AU Speaks on Omar Hassan Al-Bashir Visits to Chad and Kenya

30 Aug 2010 05:44 Africa/Lagos

African Union Commission / Press release on the decision of the pre-trial chamber of the ICC informing the UN Security Council and the Assembly of the State Parties to the Rome statute about the presence of president Omar Hassan Al-Bashir of the Sudan in the territories of the Republic of Chad and the Republic of Kenya


ADDIS ABABA, August 29, 2010/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The African Union Commission has noted with grave concern statements attributed to some members of the UN Security Council as well as the decisions ICC-02/05-01/09 of 27 August 2010 of the ICC Pre Trial Chamber informing the United Nations Security Council and the Assembly of the States Parties to the Rome Statute about Omar Al-Bashir's presence in the territories of the Republic of Chad and the Republic of Kenya.


The said statements and the decisions assert that the two African Union Member States have “a clear obligation to cooperate with the Court in relation to the enforcement of such warrants of arrest, which stems both from the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1593, whereby the United Nations Security Council ‘urge[d] all States and concerned regional and other international organizations to cooperate fully' with the Court, and from article 87 of the Statute of the Court”, to which the two countries are state parties. The African Union Commission further notes that the decision by the Pre-Trial chamber was made strangely in respect of the “expected attendance of Omar Al Bashir at the celebration scheduled for Friday, 27 August 2010”.


The African Union Commission expresses its deep regret that both the statements and the decisions grossly ignore and make no reference whatsoever to the obligations of the two countries to the African union, arising from decisions Assembly/AU/Dec. 245(XIII) adopted by the 13th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, wherein the Assembly “Decide[d] that in view of the fact that the request by the African Union has never been acted upon (by UN Security Council), the AU Member States shall not cooperate pursuant to the provisions of Article 98 of the Rome Statute of the ICC relating to immunities, for the arrest and surrender of President Omar El Bashir of The Sudan”, which decision was reiterated (decision Assembly/AU/Dec. 296 (XV) by the 15th Ordinary session of the Assembly in July 2010 in Kampala, Uganda. Additionally, the statements and the decisions did not take cognisance whatsoever of the obligations of AU Member states arising from Article 23 (2) of the Constitutive Act of the African Union, which obligates all AU Member States “to comply with the decisions and policies of the Union”. Thus, the decisions adopted by the AU policy organs are binding on Chad and Kenya and it will be wrong to coerce them to violate or disregard their obligations to the African Union.


It is to be recalled that the repeated appeals to the UN Security Council by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union as well as the AU Peace and Security Council to defer the proceedings against President Omar Hassan Bashir of The Sudan for one year in application of the provisions of Article 16 of the Rome Statute have never been acted upon by the UN Security Council. The same UN Security Council, which has ignored this request by AU member states and which includes states that have no obligations to the International Criminal Court, has no moral authority to sit in judgement over Chad and Kenya. Indeed, by virtue of their membership of the African union, these two countries have committed themselves to “condemnation and rejection of impunity” and voluntarily negotiated the Rome Statute along with the Organisation of African Unity and joined the ICC with a view to enhancing the fight against impunity.


The African Union Commission recalls that both Chad and Kenya being neighbours of The Sudan have an abiding interest in ensuring peace and stability in The Sudan and in promoting peace, justice and reconciliation in that country, which can only be achieved through continuous engagement with the elected government of that country. Neighbouring countries do this as a matter of survival as they bear the brunt of instability or insecurity in neighbouring states. Kenya as a member of IGAD and a guarantor to the peace process in The Sudan, arising from the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and the impending referendum in South Sudan, has a duty and obligation to continuously engage with President Omar Hassan Al Bashir and President Silva Kiir.


It is to be noted that engagement with the elected leaders of The Sudan is vitally and strategically essential and unavoidable for the countries of the region as well as the entire continent, which by their location are better able to understand and take into account the local realities and dynamics. The attempt to involve the UN Security Council in this matter is yet another effort to pressurise African countries to support the ICC irrespective of the complex dynamics on the ground which require a fine balance between peace and justice and, in this regard, the AU shall oppose any attempt to coerce African Countries to undermine the common African position.


The African Union will continue to fight against impunity as required by the relevant Assembly decisions as well as Article 4 of the Constitutive Act and shall oppose the pretensions and double standards that are evident from the statements being made about the two countries. The African Union believes and will continue to pursue in respect of the Sudan the interconnected, mutually interdependent and equally desirable objectives of peace, justice and reconciliation. It also requests all African Countries and Friends of Africa to reject any draft resolution that may be tabled before the UN Security Council on this matter.


Addis Ababa, 29 August 2010.


Source: African Union Commission (AUC)



































































































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13:25In Togo, judge bans newspaper over story critical of president's half-brother
13:06In Uganda, CPJ welcomes ruling that strikes down criminal sedition
13:01Kenya / Arrest Bashir or Bar Him Entry / ICC Member States Obliged to Arrest Fugitives on Their Territories
12:24Bulgarian Lifeguard Lifts Whiskey Lovers' Ultimate Dream Prize in Global Competition
12:00ICS ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTOR
12:00ICS Announces Appointment of Director ICS anuncia a su nuevo director
11:30Elsevier and Royal Tropical Institute Sign 5 Year Memorandum of Understanding to Provide ScienceDirect and Scopus to 150 Developing Country Researchers
10:57Altergy's Freedom Power Fuel Cell Systems to Power Africa
06:27Essilor - First-Half 2010 Results
26 Aug 2010
23:02'The Pillars of the Earth' Reveals New World Order at MIPCOM 2010 Producers' Forum