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Tag: AU

  • Africa making progress in defeating malaria – AU

    Africa making progress in defeating malaria – AU

    The African Union Commission says the continent is making headway in defeating malaria through strong political commitment, increased funding, and innovations devised to improve malaria prevention and control.

    According to it, most of the achievements have been realised through the “Zero Malaria Starts With Me’’ Campaign” ‎implemented by the AU Commission in partnership with the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) and Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership to End Malaria.

    H.E. Amira Mohamed, Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, African Union ‎Commission, made the assertion in her message as the world marks the 2021 World Malaria Day on Sunday.

    World Malaria Day takes place annually on April 25 to highlight the global efforts to control malaria and celebrate the gains that have been made.

    The theme for 2021 World Malaria Day is : “Zero Malaria – Draw the Line Against Malaria’’.

    Mohamed said: “World Malaria Day 2021 comes at a time when healthcare systems in Africa bear the anomalous weight of the coronavirus pandemic.

    “AU Member States have maintained their focus in the fight against malaria even as the pandemic continues to test the limits of health infrastructure at the country level.

    “I take the opportunity to recognise and appreciate all AU member states for ensuring that comprehensive approaches like education, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment,– that have been proven to have tangible results in the fight against malaria, have been sustained during the pandemic.

    “Today, the African Union Commission joins the world to celebrate the seven million lives saved, and over one billion malaria cases averted through life-saving mosquito nets, among other interventions.”

    She urged all countries to collectively work with the fullest commitment to end ‎malaria by 2030.

    “As a continent, we celebrate with great honour and pride the AU Member States that have been certified malaria-free.

    “ I encourage these member states to lead continental knowledge-sharing initiatives so that best elimination practices are exchanged and scaled-up.

    “ To date, 19 AU member states have rolled out the Zero Malaria Starts With Me campaign, seven of which launched in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    “While more member states are working towards launching the campaign, the commission welcomes the collaborative effort to urge Africa leaders to ‎step up and be a part of the zero-malaria movement,’’ she said.

    The AU commissioner said that the Zero Malaria Starts With Me campaign was transforming the continent’s malaria response and inspiring global action.

    “This campaign’s advancement and impact have demonstrated AU member states’ dedication to reach the targets set in the Africa Health Strategy and the Catalytic Framework to End AIDS, TB, and Eliminate Malaria in Africa by 2030.

    “The campaign’s focus is to empower the youth’s involvement in the malaria response’’.

    According to her, the leadership of youth in Africa is crucial as young people account for 75 per cent of the continent’s population and the youth are the driving force of the continent.

    The AU Commissioner commended President Uhuru Kenyatta of the Republic of Kenya, for launching the Digital Youth Malaria Army initiative.

    She emphasised the critical role of multisectoral partnerships in achieving significant strides towards the shared goal of malaria elimination, urging for increased partnerships and resources to innovate and improve surveillance programmes.

    “ As we commemorate World Malaria Day 2021, I call on frontline health workers ‎, partners, and leaders worldwide and in Africa to share experiences and reflections on efforts and opportunities to reach the target of zero malaria.

    “I reiterate that ending malaria’s scourge will have a long-term, transformative impact and save millions of lives.

    “The commission ‎will continue to support the AU member states to draw the line against malaria,’’ she said.

  • Deby’s Death: AU must find solution to Chad’s problems – FG

    Deby’s Death: AU must find solution to Chad’s problems – FG

    The Federal Government says African countries must urgently find solution to challenges arising from the death of Chadian President, Idriss Deby, who was killed while fighting the Chadian rebels on Monday.

    The Minister of Defence, retired Maj.-Gen. Bashir Magashi, stated this at the special weekly briefing organised by the Presidential communication team on Thursday in Abuja.

    He said the call had become necessary to check possible infiltration of borders by bandits as well as influx of refugees into neighbouring countries.

    According to him, if there’s no security in Chad there will be a lot of trouble for all neighbouring countries.

    The minister said: “When we heard of this unfortunate killing of the Chadian President, we knew that problem is bound to be replicated among neigbouring countries and Nigeria will be most hit by his absence.

    “If there is insecurity in Chad, there will be a lot of problems.

    “But thank God, we have a lot of military activities with the Chad, Niger, Cameroun, we have all that military concern.

    “So, in the name of that Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF), all these countries, including Chad, are contributing countries for the operation.

    “We hope that very soon, we will find a secure way of the continuation of the activities we’re supposed to be doing.

    “The problem is now going to be aggravated because we are not sure the direction in which that country is going to face.

    “But I assure you that we are mindful of our borders, we are mindful of the development, and politically, the government is putting its head together to see how best they can restore the peace in that country.

    “I think we are on top of the situation. All we are praying is that African countries will find a solution to the problem of Chad and get in a more corrective society as respected by international organisations.”

    On recent attacks on police formations in the Southeast region, the minister warned that such attacks would no longer be tolerated.

    He also vowed that the killers of 12 soldiers in Benue would be brought to book, saying that “whoever touches the military has no regard for this country”.

    According to him, nine of 12 weapons belonging to the murdered soldiers have been recovered and arrests are being made.

  • AU legal counsel kicks against Okonjo-Iweala’s candidacy for World Trade Organisation DG

    The African Union’s legal counsel has kicked against the nomination to contest for the position of World Trade Organisation director-general.

    In July 2019, the Executive Council of the AU invited member states to present nominations into the office of the DG of the WTO so that the AU would agree on a consensus candidature.

    Nigeria initially nominated Fedrick Agah while Benin and Egypt fielded Messrs Eloi Laourou and Abdulhameed Mamdouh respectively.

    On June 4, 2020, Nigeria withdrew the nomination of Fedrick Agah and replaced him with Okonjo-Iweala.

    The counsel said the executive council during its 35th ordinary session held in Niamey, Niger, had asked member countries to present candidates to the AU ministerial committee on candidature by November 30, 2019, to allow it endorse a consensus candidate at its February 2020 ordinary session.

    He said three countries presented their candidates; Eloi Laourou (Benin), Abdulhameed Mamdouh (Egypt) and Yunov Agah (Nigeria).

    “During the February 2020 summit, the three candidates were considered,” the letter read.

    “However, due to the lack of consensus to agree on one suitable candidate during the February 2020 summit, the executive council through decision Ex Cl 1090 (XXXVI) recalled the Ex Cl Dec 10T2 (XXXV) and endorsed respectively the candidates from Benin, Egypt and Nigeria as shortlisted for the post of the director-general of the WTO (the names of the candidates were incorporated in the report of the committee on international candidatures presented to the executive council).

    “Moreover, it requested the ministerial committee on African candidatures within the international system to consider the matter and report to the executive council’s 3rd ordinary session with a view to agreeing on a single candidate.”

    The office of the legal counsel also argued that the submission of candidates had to follow certain conditions which were listed as:

    “All candidatures shall be submitted to the committee, through the AU commission (the political affairs department). The political affairs department should acknowledge receipt containing the date and the stamp of submission,” it said.

    “Candidatures shall be submitted to the commission at least two (2) months prior to the sessions of the executive council, which shall consider them. The submission shall be accompanied by relevant information related to the submitted candidatures, including the nature of each post, date and place of elections.”

    It said the condition on which candidate submission may be accepted after the deadline is when “no other candidatures for the position have been submitted in the prescribed time; the submission of candidatures has been closed; and there are more vacancies reserved for Africa than the submissions received, among others”.

    The counsel, therefore, said it has taken a position that Okonjo-Iweala’s nomination was against laid-down rules.

    President Muhammadu Buhari had nominated Okonjo-Iweala, a former managing director (operations) at the World Bank, for the position on June 4, 2020, to replace Yunov Agah as Nigeria’s candidate.

  • COVID-19: 20 Million African Jobs at Risk – AU

    The African Union (AU) has revealed that about 20 million jobs are at risk on the continent as a result of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

    Most African economies are projected to shrink this year due to the pandemic.

    Under what AU researchers in study titled “Impact of the coronavirus (COVID 19) on the African Economy” – the body explained that the situation could be examined under as realistic and pessimistic scenarios.

    They projected that under the realistic scenario, Africa’s economy will shrink 0.8 percent while in the pessimistic scenario, there were expectations of a 1.1 percent drop.

    Earlier this year, Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth had been projected by the African Development Bank to reach 3.4 percent this year, but with both scenarios modelled by the AU, GDP will now shrink.

    According to the study, up to 15 percent of foreign direct investment (FDIs) could disappear, meaning that African governments could lose up to 20 to 30 percent of their fiscal revenue, estimated at $500 billion in 2019.

    African economies are already facing an impending economic downturn, plummeting oil and commodity prices and an weakening tourism sector.

    Recall that the World Bank had earlier projected that sub-Saharan Africa will go into recession for the first time in 25 years as the COVID-19 pandemic further disrupts economic activities.

    The global financial institution says the region’s economy could contract by 2.1 percent to as much as 5.1 percent this year.

    The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are calling for a ‘debt standstill’ from creditors to free up money to go into saving lives and protecting livelihoods.

    Africa was among the last to be hit by COVID-19, and the response from most countries was to ensure border closures, lockdowns and the quarantine of travellers.

    This resulted in a major disruption to trade which the World Bank says reduced access to agricultural inputs, disruption of supply chains and loss of livelihoods could lead to a food shortage on the continent.

    The outbreak has spread to 52 countries on the continent that have cumulatively reported 13,814 confirmed cases, 747 deaths, and 2,355 recoveries as at Monday April 13.

  • 28 AU Member States Ratify Continental Free Trade Area Pact

    The African Union (AU) Commission for Trade and Industry said 28 of the 55 African Union member states have ratified and deposited the ratification of the African continental free trade area with the Union.

    This was disclosed at the ongoing 33rd AU Summit at the organisation’s headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

    The 33rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) kicked off on January 21 and will end February 10, 2020. It is themed Silencing the Guns: Creating Conducive Conditions for Africa’s Development.

    The initiative of silencing the guns is a flagship project of Africa’s agenda 2063 and aims to achieve a conflict-free Africa, make peace a reality for all and rid the continent of wars, civil conflicts, gender-based violence, violent conflicts and preventing genocide.

    In addition to the key discussions around Africa’s peace and security agenda, other headline issues to be discussed include, sustainable funding of Africa’s development agenda specifically addressing the scale of assessment and contributions to the AU’s budget; progress made in the implementation of Agenda 2063; operationalization of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA); African candidatures in the international system, the International Criminal Court, and Africa’s Digital Transformation Strategy.

    According to AU’s Commissioner for Trade and Industry, Mr Muchanga Albert, on the AfCFTA, he said more countries are expected to deposit instruments of ratification during the summit, indicating that things are going in the right direction.

    He further said that presently, the AU was working on establishing rules on the origin of product, non-tariff barrier monitoring and trade tariff reduction schedule to ensure the timely launch of trade on the continent.

    In terms of numbers of participating countries, the AfCFTA will be the world’s largest free trade area since the formation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1995.

    The AfCFTA would increase the demand for Nigeria’s products and services on the continent, with a rise in the price of exports and improved margins for Nigerian producers.

    However, the policy would also trigger a reduction in government revenue by 1.5 percent (equivalent to N131.6 billion) per annum due to the loss of revenue from import duties.

  • Photos: Buhari arrives Addis Ababa for AU’s Ordinary Session

    Photos: Buhari arrives Addis Ababa for AU’s Ordinary Session

    Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari has arrived Addis Ababa, Ethiopia ahead the 33rd Ordinary Session of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union.

    He was received by Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed.

    Grand reception for Buhari in Addis Ababa

    Buhari introducing Nigerian delegates to the Ethiopian Prime Minister

    Buhari introducing Nigerian delegates to the Ethiopian Prime Minister

  • Buhari jets to Niamey for AU, AfCTFA today

    Buhari jets to Niamey for AU, AfCTFA today

    President Muhammadu Buhari will depart Abuja Saturday for Niamey, Niger Republic to attend the African Union (AU) Summit, scheduled to hold on July 7.
    President Buhari will participate in the 12th Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union on African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the First Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the AU and the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) in Niamey.
    The Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union is expected to launch the operational instruments of the Agreement establishing AfCFTA.
    The instruments include: AfCFTA Rules of Origin, Tariff Concession Portals, Portal on Monitoring and Elimination of Non-Tariff Barriers, Digital Payments and Clearing Systems and African Trade and Observatory Dashboard.
    Prior to the Summit, the Buhari Administration had embarked on extensive consultations with stakeholders, culminating in the submission of the report by the Presidential Committee to Assess Impact and Readiness of Nigeria to join the AfCFTA.
    The committee had recommended that Nigeria should sign the Agreement which aims to boost intra-African trade.
    President Buhari will sign the AfCFTA Agreement on the margins of the AU meeting in Niamey.
    While formally accepting the report on June 27, President Buhari said:
    ”For AfCFTA to succeed, we must develop policies that promote African production, among other benefits.
    ”Africa, therefore, needs not only a trade policy but also a continental manufacturing agenda. Our vision for intra-African trade is for the free movement of ‘made in Africa goods.’ That is, goods and services made locally with dominant African content in terms of raw materials and value addition.”
    President Buhari will be accompanied to Niamey by the First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari, Governors Babagana Zulum, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu and Aminu Bello Masari of Borno, Kebbi and Katsina States, respectively.
    Other top government officials include: Permanent Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Mustapha Suleiman; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Sunday Akpan; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Nuratu Batagarawa; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Mahmoud Isa-Dutse; Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Amb. Ahmed Rufai Abubakar; and Director-General, National Office for Trade Negotiations, Amb. Chinedu Osakwe.
    The President will return to Abuja at the conclusion of the Summit.

  • Nigeria’s Finance Minister Appointed Board Chair of AU Peace Fund

    The Africa Union (AU) on Thursday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia appointed Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed as chairperson of Board of Trustees of the AU Peace Fund.

    In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Minister on Media and Communications, Mr Paul Ella Abechi, the minister expressed appreciation and commitment towards achieving the agenda of the Special Fund.

    The board has 5 African members each representing a region and 2 Non African Members (United Nations and European Union) as International partners. The Minister of Finance is representing the Western African Sub-region in the Board.

    The Protocol Relating to the African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) provides for the establishment of a Special Fund to be known as the Peace Fund with the objective of providing the necessary financial resources for peace support missions and other operational activities relating to peace and security in Africa.

    The Peace Fund is an independent international fund for the prevention and management of conflicts, and the promotion of peace in Africa.

    It would be recalled that the Board of Trustees was established by the Assembly of the Union in July 2016 to ensure strategic coherence, enhanced governance, and financial and administrative oversight of the Peace Fund.

    The Peace Fund will finance three key priorities: mediation and preventive diplomacy activities, institutional capacity requirements, and peace support operations.


  • 49 AU members sign free trade pact – Official

    49 AU members sign free trade pact – Official

    Forty-nine out of the 55 members of the African Union have signed the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement, said AU chairperson, Paul Kagame.

    Kagame, who is also the Rwandan president, made the announcement in Nouakchott during the closing ceremony of the 31st summit of the 55-member African Union.

    South Africa, Sierra Leone, Namibia, Lesotho and Burundi signed the AfCFTA in Nouakchott.

    Chad and Swaziland ratified the agreement, which brings the total number of ratification to six.

    A minimum of 22 ratifications are required to enable the AfCFTA to come into force, while 15 ratifications for the protocol on free movement of persons, right of residence and right of establishment.

    The AfCFTA will be the largest free trade area since the formation of the World Trade Organisation, according to the AU.

    It could create an African market of over 1.2 billion people with a GDP of 2.5 trillion U.S. dollars, according to the pan-African bloc.

    The AU said the deal is expected to improve the economic prosperity of the African nations removing barriers to trade, like tariffs and import quotas, allowing the free flow of goods and services between its members.

    However, Nigeria and five other countries failed to sign the deal.

    The countries that signed the AfCFTA Consolidated Text are Niger, Rwanda, Angola, CAR., Chad, Comoros, Congo, Djibouti, The Gambia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritania, Mozambique, Cote’d’Ivoire, Seychelles, Algeria, Equatorial Guinea.

    Others are Morocco, Swaziland, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, DRC, Guinea, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, South Sudan, Uganda, Egypt, Ethiopia, Sao Tome and Principle, Togo and Tunisia.

  • Peace, security challenges in Sahel require ‘holistic approach’ – AU

    The AU said a “holistic approach” is needed to address peace and security challenges in the vast Sahel region, calling for more investment in better government, social services and youth opportunities.

    Ms Fatima Kyari-Mohammed, Permanent Representative of the AU Observer Mission to the UN, stated this in her remarks to the Security Council meeting on ‘Peace and Security in Africa with focus on the G5 Sahel’.

    Kyari-Mohammed said AU remained deeply concerned over the continuing deterioration of the security situation in Mali and the greater Sahel region.

    She regretted the increasing threat posed by terrorism and violent extremism and its spread in surrounding countries.

    “Again, what is happening in this African region reminds us of the fact that terrorist groups know no borders. They think and act globally.

    “Therefore, the international approach in dealing with this scourge must be coherent, comprehensive and integrated. Sustainable and simultaneous engagement is needed in all affected areas and regions.

    “There is, therefore, urgency for a robust international engagement in support of the efforts of the countries of this region,” she said.

    Bintou Keita, the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, said that combating terrorism and transnational organised crime, remained the major challenge in the region.

    “Let us not forget those who suffer the most are the local population – civilians – who continue to be intimidated and harassed and live in fear for their lives on a daily basis.

    “Those who cannot send their children to school or have their most basic needs met, including access to food and nutrition,” she said.

    Keita added that since the authorisation of the Joint Force by the AU in April 2017, and the renewal of its mandate in April 2018, “notable progress” had been made.

    According to her, this includes the deployment of troops on the ground, and setting up of command posts and sector headquarters.

    “Nonetheless, a lot of work remains ahead of us. The operationalization of the Joint Force has incurred delays and has yet to attain full operational capability,” she said.

    The UN envoy called on G5 Sahel Member States to deploy remaining troops as soon as possible.

    “What is more, the United Nations will continue to depend on others, to be able to implement the support measures it has been mandated to provide to the G5-Sahel Joint Force by Security Council Resolution 2391 (2017),” she said.

    In that resolution, the Security Council requested the Secretary‑General to conclude a technical agreement among the UN, the European Union and G5 Sahel States – Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger.

    This is with a view to providing operational and logistical support through the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali to the joint force conducting cross‑border counter‑terrorist operations across the region.