AU WEEKLY...keeping you updated HIGHLIGHTS September 15 th, 2015 Democratic Governance Social Justice African Governance Architecture Must be Owned by Member States African Union to Promote the Rights of Older People in Africa Extractive Industries Enhancing Awareness on the African Mining Vision Peace and Security The Role of the African Standby Force in Humanitarian Action Maritime Security in Africa Understanding the AU African Governance Architecture Upcoming Events 4th Congress of African Economists October 2015 African Girl s Summit on Ending Child Marriage in Africa Follow us on: Facebook - Oxfam International Liaison Office with the African Union: OI-AU Twitter - twitter@oxfam_au Disclaimer: Views or articles presented in this publication are solely those of the media source and do not represent Oxfam s views AU-Weekly Published by Oxfam Liaison Office to the AU 1
Democratic Governance Dr. Aisha L. Abdullahi, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs Credited: dgtrend African Governance Architecture Must be Owned by Member States As the Secretariat of the African Governance Architecture (AGA) Platform, the Africa Union Department of Political Affairs (DPA) convened a consultation with the African Union Permanent Representative Committee (PRC) from September 2 nd to 4 th 2015 in Arusha, Tanzania. During this event, participants reviewed the operationalisation process of AGA by assessing its progress, and challenges and opportunities. State Reporting processes under the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG) was also reviewed. This consultation is intended to improve understanding and ownership of the AGA Platform by Member States, as well as to increase participation in its implementation. Further reading: http://pa.au.int/en/content/au-permanent-representatives-committeeconsultation-operationalisation-aga 2
Extractive Industries Credited: AUC Enhancing Awareness on the African Mining Vision As part of the African Mining Legislation Atlas (AMLA) project, the World Bank Group, African Legal Support Facility (ALSF) and the University of Cape Town (UCT) organised a 10- day training course on the legal aspects of Africa s mining sector, from August 28 th to September 6 th 2015 in Cape Town, South Africa. Trainees included African law students from around the continent and participants from AUC interested in the implementation of both the African Mining Vision, Agenda 2063, and Africa s Common Position on post-2015. Participants were trained on community development, beneficiation processes, environmental protection, and common types of mining licenses. Ways to increase collaboration across African academic institutions to further develop mineral law courses, degree programs, and cross-border learning, which could increase Africa s own legal expertise in the mining sector, was also discussed. During one parallel session, professors agreed to develop a series of short courses on the legal aspects of the mining sector in the first half of 2016. Further reading: http://ti.au.int/en/events/african-mining-vision-amv-grooming-home-grownlegal-experts-mining-sector 3
Peace & Security Credited: twitter The Role of The African Standby Force in Humanitarian Action From September 1st to 3rd 2015, the African Union Departments for Peace and Security and Political Affairs organised a technical workshop to validate the Guidelines on the Role of the African Standby Force (ASF) in Humanitarian action and natural disaster support operations (HANDS). The meeting brought together experts from Regional Economic Communities (RECs) / Regional Mechanisms (RMs), UN and Humanitarian Agencies and other experts to analyze and provide input into drafted Guidelines. Oxfam s Pan Africa Policy Advisor on Peace, Security and Governance, Brenda Mofya participated in this meeting. The guidelines, which form part of the revised Humanitarian Framework Policy, are meant to provide a basis for ASF s infrastructural or personnel deployment in response to humanitarian and natural disasters across the continent. The guidelines further recognize the linkages between humanitarian assistance, peace and security and disaster - and the need for civil - military coordination in humanitarian response. Following this workshop, the AUC will share a revised draft of the guidelines with key partners for further input before tabling it to the AU Summit of Heads of State and Government for adoption in January 2016. For more information contact: BRENDA MOFYA Oxfam International Liaison Office with the African Union Peace and Security and Governance Policy Advisor Addis Ababa Tel: +251 930079062 Email: Brenda.mofya@oxfaminternational.org 4
Peace & Security (cont d) Maritime Security in Africa Credited: MarEx Nigeria and the Republic of Togo are partnering to combat rising piracy and oil theft off the coast of West Africa. Togolese President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe met with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on September 10 to discuss how to reduce the growing problem of maritime crime. The African Union and the Government of Togo will host an Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government on Maritime Security and Development for Africa on November 4th 7th, 2015 in Lomé, Togo. The 54 countries in the African Union will meet, together with business experts, to establish a roadmap for maritime security in Africa. The Summit will deal with issues of piracy, illicit drug and human trafficking, and toxic ocean pollution, and develop strategies to make African maritime space a key driver for sustainable economic development. Sources from Lomé (Togo) indicated that migration across the Mediterranean Sea will also be discussed. The Summit will build on the results of previous maritime Summits held in Yaoundé, Cameroon in June 2013 and in the Seychelles in February 2015. Further information: http://www.african-union-togo2015.com/en/accueil or http://maritime-executive.com/article/nigeria-togo-partner-to-combat-piracy 5
Social Justice Credited: AUC African Union to Promote the Rights of Older People in Africa A roundtable meeting on the role of older persons in achieving Africa s agenda 2063 was held on September 10 th 2015 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This brought together the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) and other key stakeholders. During the meeting, the African Union Commission (AUC) and HelpAge International urged AU Member States to develop and implement policies that protect the rights of older people in Africa. AUC Director of Social Affairs Ambassador Olawale Maiyegun informed member states that the population of older people in Africa is increasing drastically and therefore there is an urgent need to ensure that specific measures are in place to address the needs of older people. He further mentioned the AU s efforts to addressing ageing issues by setting up frameworks and legal instruments including the AU Policy Framework on Plan of Action on Ageing (AUPFAA), the Africa s Agenda 2063, the African Common Position on Post 2015 sustainable development (AU, 2014) and the recently approved Protocol on the Rights of Older People. Despite having these instruments in place, he called for more investment to implement these instruments at national levels. He also called upon the PRC representatives to encourage their respective States to proactively work towards the adoption and ratification process of the approved Protocol. Further reading: http://sa.au.int/en/content/african-union-and-helpage-urge-member-states -promote-rights-older-people-africa 6
Understanding the AU The African Governance Architecture The African Governance Architecture (AGA) is the overall political and institutional framework for the promotion of good governance in Africa through enhanced interaction and synergies between African Union organs/institutions. Objective The overall objective of the AGA is to achieve governance, democracy and human rights as reflected in the Constitutive Act of the AU and other AU instruments relating to governance and human rights. The added value of the AGA in addressing Africa s governance challenges lies in how it translates AU Member States commitment to democracy and governance as a shared value of the Union, into concrete actions to support, complement and enhance the capacity of AU Member States to improved their governance processes. The AGA seeks to achieve this objective through consolidation and implementation. Specifically it promotes: Formalizing, consolidating and promoting closer cooperation between AU Organs/institutions and other stakeholders; Establishing a coordinating mechanism of regional and continental efforts for the domestication and implementation of the African Governance Agenda; Enhancing the capacity of AU Organs and institutions in the promotion, evaluation and monitoring of governance standards and trends. Scope The AGA seeks to support and compliment efforts by Member States to achieve their commitments under article 3 of the AU Constitutive Act and other relevant AU pronouncements. The commitments permeate various policy pronouncements (Conventions, Protocol, Charters and Treaties) at the regional and continental level. These commitments amongst others include: human rights and the rule of law, popular participation, accountability and transparency, judicial framework (effective and fair application of the law), democratic institutions and transition (elections and public participation), service delivery (Public service and local governance). 7
Understanding the AU (cont d) The AGA is an evolving mechanism composed of three principal pillars: Concept: Norms/Vision; Evolution: Institutional Framework; Progress: Interaction and Processes which comprises of the African Governance Architecture Platform The African Governance Architecture Platform This platform is the central coordinating mechanism for monitoring compliance and implementation of agreed governance standards as embodied in the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance. The role of the Platform is to facilitate information flows, exchanges, dialogue, synergies and joint action between various African governance actors, and monitor compliance and implementation. The outcomes of these interactions are translated into concrete actions and proposals to be submitted to the relevant policy organs for consideration and decisionmaking, according to established rules and regulations. The Platform does not duplicate the mandate or work on existing organs/institutions and initiative; nor does it act as a decision-making body. It operates as an informal structure. Objectives of the Platform Cognizance of the respective mandates of AU institutions and organs which have formal mandates in governance, the Platform offers an informal, flexible and dynamic mechanism to perform a set of inter-related functions: Foster a systematic exchange of information on governance across the continent Improve dialogue between African governance actors Facilitate the elaboration of shared governance agendas Strengthen the capacity of the African continent to speak with one voice on governance matters in international dialogue processes with partners Monitor and Coordinate Evaluation of implementation of the African Governance Agenda 8
Understanding the AU (cont d) Members of the African Governance Architecture Platform AU Commission; African Court on Human and People s Rights; African Commission on Human and People s Rights; Pan-African Parliament; Secretariat of the African Peer Review Mechanism; The Economic, Social and Cultural Council; The AU Advisory Board on Corruption; NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency; Regional Economic Communities; African Union Commission on International Law; African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child; Permanent Representatives Committee; Peace and Security Council Clusters of the African Governance Architecture Platform Democracy, Elections and Governance Public service, Administration, Anti-corruption, Decentralization and Local Governance Human and peoples rights and transitional justice Humanitarian affairs Source: Presentation by Mr. George Mukundi Wachira, Head, AGA Secretariat 9
Upcoming Events Oct 14-16 Event: 4th CONGRESS OF AFRICAN ECONOMISTS 2015 Venue: Accra, Ghana Contact: Ms. Enkutatash Haile-Email: EnkutatashH@africaunion.org Nov 04-07 Event: Maritime Security Summit Venue: Lomé, Togo Contact: http://www.african-union-togo2015.com/en/accueil Nov 26-27 26-27 Event: African Girl s Summit on Ending Child Marriage in Africa Venue: Lusaka, Zambia Contact: http://pages.au.int/cecm/events/african-girl%e2%80%99s -summit-ending-child-marriage-africa-lusaka-zambia Follow us on: Facebook - Oxfam International Liaison Office with the African Union: OI-AU Twitter - @Oxfam_AU Disclaimer: Views or articles presented in this publication are solely those of the media source and do not represent Oxfam s views AU-Weekly Published by Oxfam Liaison Office to the AU 10