AU Monitor - Weekly Roundup

The 11th African Union (AU) Summit will be held in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, between June 24 and July 1, 2008, under the theme of “Meeting the Millennium Development Goals on Water and Sanitation”. The Permanent Representatives’ Committee will be held between June 24 - 25, the Executive Council between June 27 -28 and the Assembly of heads of states and government between June 30 and July 1. The draft agendas for each of these sessions are available to download at In addition, the Citizens and Diaspora Directorate of the AU Commission will hold an AU-civil society meeting on June 17-19, in Sharm el Sheikh.

The Center for Citizens’ Participation in the African Union (CCP-AU) has written an essential policy brief for civil society detailing the key issues that will be discussed during the summit as well as providing logistical information for civil society participants. Among the issues highlighted are the adoption of a social policy framework for Africa, peace and security in Africa, the union government proposal and the audit of the African Union. Indeed, the Executive Council of the AU has just concluded an extraordinary session to discuss the audit report of the union. During this meeting, the chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), H.E. Mr. Jean Ping, noted that: “The Commission of the African Union agrees with the bulk of the Panel’s recommendations and would wish to see them implemented as soon as possible. In other areas, we have reservations based on experience and our own contact with the facts on the ground”. Also in preparation for the summit, the Committee of heads of states and government will meet later this month in Arusha, Tanzania, to discuss the union government proposal.

As civil society continues to advocate for African Union (AU) intervention in Zimbabwe, urging the AU leadership to call for the immediate cessation of violence and the protection of the Zimbabwean people as well as to deploy an exploratory mission of experts into Zimbabwe to assess the electoral environment, the African Union issued a statement on the situation in Zimbabwe following an official visit to the country by the chairperson of the AUC. Within the statement, the AU “urges the ZEC to ensure that the said run off [election] is undertaken as provided for in the Electoral Act”; “re-emphasizes the need for Zimbabwe to implement the conditions set out in the Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa; urges that agreements reached and the conditions prevailing prior to the 29 March polls be upheld; appeals to all the Zimbabwe political actors to conduct their activities in a free, transparent, tolerant, and non-violent manner to enable eligible Zimbabweans exercise their democratic rights”. Further, “the AU will continue to play an active role in assessing all further developments in preparing for the effective observation of this election with a view to providing an independent judgment on its outcome.

Following the presentation on peace and security in Africa by the chairperson of the Committee on Cooperation, International Relations and Conflict Resolution at the session of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) this week, Hon. Euggene Kparkar of Liberia charged PAP to be firm and decisive on issues related to Heads of State, adding that “even though PAP must be commended for sending election observer missions to both Kenya and Zimbabwe, African leaders must be told in the face that too much of staying in power brews conflict. Therefore, they must always prepare their minds to vacate the presidential seats whenever their time is due”. However, recognizing the weaknesses of PAP’s mandate, the chairperson of the committee noted that PAP cannot hold African presidents entirely to account because it is currently an advisory, and not yet legislative, organ.

In further peace and security news, the AU has condemned the attacks on the Sudanese capital of Khartoum by the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) from the Darfur region, saying that their actions could jeopardize efforts to find a political solution to the crisis and escalate regional peace and security tensions. The chairperson of the AU Commission and the Peace and Security Commissioner Ramtane Lamamra are expected to visit the country.

As continued economic growth is predicted in 2008 and 2009 by the African Development Bank, the Monetary Affairs Committee of the East African Community has said high interest rate spreads, budget deficits, high domestic debt and relatively high levels of non-performing loans continue to be major challenges that need to be addressed before a monetary union can be realised. Seeing information and communication technology as central to African development, the AUC is engaging development partners to fund nine flagship projects under the Africa Regional Action Plan on the Knowledge Economy programme. While, Jose Graziano da Silva argues that “agro-energy emerges from the current financial crisis as a safe haven of real consistency and strategic continuity”, further stating that “agro-energy can help sustain the expansion of poor countries and usher in a new dynamic of trade independence by industrialising biofuel crop farming and creating bridges between family agriculture and a peak sector of the global economy that is here to stay.” Lastly, as African leaders will attend the Tokyo International Conference on African Development this month, Felix Osike explores the courting of Africa by so-called emerging powers such as Japan, China and India.