<
http://allafrica.com/africa/> Africa: Eighteenth African Union Summit to
Hold on the Theme: ?Boosting Intra-African Trade?
11 January 2012
_____
Press release
The 18 th Ordinary Session of the Summit of the African Union (AU) is
scheduled to take place from 23 to 30 January 2012 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Holding under the theme: “ Boosting Intra-African Trade” , the summit will
officially kick off on Monday 23 January 2012, with the 23 rd Ordinary
Session of the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC).
According to the PRC agenda for the 18 th AU Summit, the Ambassadors will
for two days (23 and 24 January 2012) exchange views on specific reports
including the reports of the sub-committees on structures; multilateral
cooperation; contributions; economic and trade matters; the report on NEPAD
as well as that of the Special Emergency Assistance Fund for Drought and
Famine in Africa (SEAF). They will consider the working documents and draft
decisions in preparation of the 20 th Ordinary Session of the Executive
Council.
On the other hand, the 20 th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council will
hold from 26 to 27 January at the headquarters of the AU in Addis Ababa. The
Ministers of External Affairs and other ministers or authorities designated
by the governments of Member States will deliberate on the different reports
of the ministerial meetings organized by the AU Commission during the last
six months. They will consider the activity report of the Commission; the
recommendations of the PRC on the implementation of previous Decisions of
the Executive Council and the Assembly; and the report of the ministerial
committee on candidatures.
The Executive Council will further look into reports of some AU organs
including the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) and
the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (AfCHPR) before embarking on
the consideration of items proposed by Member States.
The 18 th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union is scheduled
to take place on 29 and 30 January 2012. One of the high moments of the AU
Summit will be the inauguration of the New African Union Conference Center
on 28 January 2012 in the presence of all the Heads of State and Government
present for the Summit.
The opening ceremony on 29 January 2012 of the Assembly will also pay
tribute to the memory of the late Prof. Wangari Maathai, Nobel Peace Prize
Laureate and former Presiding Officer of the ECOSOCC of the African Union
and the late Mrs. Elisabeth Tankeu, AU Commissioner for Trade & Industry.
AU Summit to Discuss Activity Reports
During their meeting, the AU Heads of States and Government will consider
the recommendations of the Executive Council on the report of the Commission
on the implementation of previous Decisions of the Executive Council and the
Assembly; the report of the Peace and Security Council on its activities and
the state of peace and security in Africa, including the activities of the
Panel of the Wise; the report of Mr. Meles Zenawi, Prime Minister of the
Ethiopia and Chairperson of NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation
Committee (HSGOC); and his report on Africa’s preparation for the 17 th
Conference of Parties of the UNFCCC (COP 17), that took place in Durban,
South Africa, 28 November – 9 December 2011.
The Presidents and Heads of Delegations will also exchange views on the
report of Mr. Denis Sassou Nguesso, President of the Republic of Congo and
Africa’s Coordinator on Africa’s preparations for the United Nations
Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio +20) with respect to the Common
Position and Strategies vis-à-vis the challenges posed by the global economy
and the international governance of the environment. They will discuss the
report of Mr Ernest Bai Koroma, President of Sierra Leone and Chairperson of
the Committee of Ten on the UN Reforms and that of Mr. Paul Kagame,
President of Rwanda, on the 4 th High Level Forum on Aid effectiveness held
in Busan, South Korea, 29 November - 1 st December 2011.
Other issues under consideration by the Heads of State are the progress
report of the Commission on the implementation of Assembly Decisions on the
Hissene Habre Case and the progress report of the Commission into the
African Union Authority among others.
Election of Members of the AU Commission:
Given that the current bureau of the AU Commission is coming to the end of
its four year mandate in January 2012, the Heads of State and Government of
the African Union at the their 18 th Ordinary Session in Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia, will elect the Chairperson of the African Union Commission and
that of the Deputy Chairperson of the
Commission. The Executive Council will elect the Commissioners of the
African Union; ten members of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) and one
judge of the AU Ad-hoc Administrative Tribunal.
Meanwhile, there will be a ceremony for the Kwame Nkrumah Scientific Awards
during the event. During the Summit, the Heads of States are expected to
adopt the decisions and recommendations of the 20 th Ordinary Session of the
Executive Council as well as the declaration of the Summit. They will also
agree on the date and venue of the 19 th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of
the Union.
For more information, consult the African Union website: www.au.int and
visit the 18 th Summit web page of the AU at the following link:
http//au.int/en/summit/18 th summit
Journalists are invited to cover the official opening and closing ceremonies
of the 23 rd Ordinary Session of the PRC on 23-24 January 2012, the 20 th
Ordinary Session of the Executive Council on 26-27 January 2012 and the 18
th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly on 29-30 January 2012.
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Received on Wed Jan 11 2012 - 16:46:05 EST
