| Reports by theme : African Union |
| African Union | Anti-corruption | APRM | Broadcast media | Citizenship | Development assistance and governance | Election management | Justice sector | Political participation | Public service delivery | ||||
Strengthening Popular Participation in the African Union: A Guide to AU Structures and ProcessesAfriMAP & Oxfam International 27 January 2010 The African Union (AU) has committed to a vision of Africa that is ‘integrated, prosperous and peaceful … driven by its own citizens, a dynamic force in the global arena.’ (Vision and Mission of the African Union, May 2004.) This guide is an effort to take up the challenge of achieving this vision. It is a tool to assist activists to engage with AU policies and programmes. It describes the AU decision-making process and outlines the roles and responsibilities of the AU institutions. This guide aims to help those organisations that wish to engage the AU but do not currently know where to start by providing an outline of the key institutions and processes and suggesting ways to influence them. The Guide is divided into three sections: • Part 1: A description of AU organs and institutions. • Part 2: Suggestions on how to influence AU decisions and policy processes. • Part 3: A summary of the debate to restructure the AU into a ‘Union Government’. [Note: the PDF of this report has been updated as of late 2010, to correct some small errors in the original text.]
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AfrMAP submission to the Audit of the AU Institutions AfriMAP October 2007 At the African Union summit held in Accra in July 2007 at which proposals for a Union Government were debated it was decided that a review of the performance of the existing AU institutions was needed. While 'all member states accept the United States of Africa as a common and desirable goal, the Executive Council agreed on the need for a pragmatic and progressive approach and recommended an audit of the state of the Union in order to identify areas in which significant improvement have to be made in order to accelerate the African integration process.' The 'audit review' was conducted by a panel of eminent persons and presented to the January 2008 AU summit . AfriMAP made a submission to the audit review, based on the findings and recommendations in the report Towards a People-Driven African Union and its other research and engagement with the debates around the proposed Union Government.
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Towards a People-Driven African Union: Current Obstacles and New OpportunitiesAfriMAP, AFRODAD and Oxfam GB January 2007 This report is the first independent, substantive and public assessment of the progress of the African Union. "Towards a People-Driven African Union: Current Obstacles and New Opportunities" analyses the preparations of African Union member-states, the AU Commission and civil society organisations for the twice-yearly AU summits. The main finding is that despite some welcome new opportunities for participation, the African Union's vision of ‘an Africa driven by its own citizens’ remains largely unfulfilled. Detailed recommendations are offered to help deliver on this vision in future. Published by AFRODAD, AfriMAP and Oxfam, this report is endorsed by more than a dozen other organisations in Africa and elsewhere, and is based on interviews with more than 50 representatives of member-states, the AU Commission and civil society organisations in eleven African countries. The full report is available in English and French, and the findings and recommendations available as a stand-alone document in English, French, Portuguese and Arabic. UPDATED VERSION, November 2007: Information on developments at the AU during 2007 has been included in an updated version of the full report (the findings and recommendations are not affected); the update is also available as a stand-alone download below after clicking on 'Download the report in sections & in other languages'.
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Strengthening Popular Participation in the African Union: A Guide to AU Structures and Processes | Activities |  |
| New study on the Regional Economic Communities 01 June 2012 AfriMAP attended the Regional Civil Society Networks Consultation held held in Abuja, Nigeria May 30 –June 1, 2012 by the Centre for Citizens’ Participation on the African Union (CCP-AU). AfriMAP director Ozias Tungwarara made a presentation on a proposed guide to the three main regional economic communities (RECs) – ECOWAS, EAC and SADC. The meeting strongly supported the production of the guide and agreed that the initiative be a collaborative effort between regional CSO formations, CCP-AU more... |
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| Open Forum 06 May 2012 In May 2012, the Africa Foundations of the Open Society convened a forum to take a critical look at the factors that will influence the African democracy and governance agenda over the next decade, to debate the paradox of unequal growth and to turn innovative ideas into action that promotes real change. The three day event held at the Cape Town Convention Centre, featured artists and activist, politicians, academics, policy and law makers and media. AfriMAP organized two parallel more...
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| Advocacy on the AU human rights strategy 14 April 2012 On 14th of April, AfriMAP, represented by Communications and Advocacy officer, Jeggan Grey-Johnson took part a validation workshop organized by the African Union Commission’s Political Affairs Division. The meeting focused on the draft Human Rights Strategy in Africa document. The meeting was attended by 20 participants from various other AU organs, CSOs and think tanks in Africa. The meeting focused on the framework of the strategy and proposed activities over a five year period. more... |
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| The African Commission for Human and Peoples’ Rights 03 April 2012 AfriMAP's Advocacy and Communications officer, Jeggan Grey-Johnson, attended the Civil Society Forum on 16th Of April ahead of the Commission’s 51st Ordinary Session. The themes included Gender and Electioneering, Access to Information and Freedom of Expression in Africa. AfriMAP presented the findings of its Public Broadcasting Media project in the countries where the study was completed. He stated that public broadcasting more... |
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| Pan African Parliament 10 November 2011 AfriMAP and OSISA together with other partners supported the 11before2011 campaign, which was aimed at accelerating the ratification of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance by member states. The campaign spearheaded by the Pan African Parliament's bureau, registered the desired result, and met its goal of contributing to continental advocacy drive and obtaining the needed 15 ratifications from AU members states, so that the charter could come into force. The campaign will continue more... |
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| African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights 30th anniversary conference 19 October 2011 AfriMAP's advocacy and communications officer, Jeggan Grey-Johnson, attended the ACHPR meetings in Banjul on 19th October, where the implementation of human rights instruments in Africa was a primary focus. The gathering also debated issues pertaining to the need for the Commission to take countries notorious for human rights violations to task. It was agreed to that the Commission needed to do more country focused resolutions. Issues of citizenship rights and racism featured prominently. The more... |
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| AfriMAP participates in African Union 2011 High Level Retreat in Cairo 04 September 2011 AfriMAP Director Ozias Tungwarara participated in the second AU high level retreat whose theme was strengthening political governance for peace, security and stability in Africa. Participants included former heads of state, senior government officials, senior AU officials, representatives of the UN and other multilateral institutions, diplomatic corps, representatives of civil society organizations, and parliamentarians. more... |
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Alliance building and support to the Pan-African Parliament : 11before2011 campaign 01 September 2010 AfriMAP and OSISA joined an alliance of development partners and CSOs to collaborate with the Pan African Parliament in their efforts to advocate for the acceleration of the ratification of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance. This culminated in a high level launch of a campaign dubbed: 11before2011 campaign, around the margins of the AU Summit in Kampala on 16th and 17th July. The event witnessed Speakers from more... |
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Guide to the AU launched in Addis Ababa 27 January 2010 AfriMAP and Oxfam, on 27 January 2010, launched a guide to the AU : Strengthening Popular Participation in the African Union: A Guide to AU Structures and Processes. As its title sugguest, the publication is aimed at encouraging civil society to fully engage with the African Union, whilst at the same time calling for the AU itself to show greater openness to public more... |
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| AfriMAP presentation on Joint Africa Europe Strategy- JAES July 2009 In July, AfriMAP was invited to Brussels to present its recommendations for the implementation of the partnership on democratic governance and human rights under the Joint Africa Europe Strategy (JAES), which was adopted in Lisbon in 2007. The meeting highlighted issues of governance in Africa, focusing on human rights. Level of progress and challenges were discussed, which aimed at presenting greater clarity and gaining stronger commitment from the EU in its partnership with the AU. Additionally, more... |
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| Advocacy on EU-AU Relations April 2009 AfriMAP has worked with the Open Society Institute’s Brussels office over the past few years on advocacy related to the European Union’s external relations with Africa, participating in meetings in Europe and Africa and contributing submissions in response to EU policy documents. In February and April this year, Ozias Tungwarara, AfriMAP director, participated in two meetings in Dakar and Brussels on the APRM/AU governance architecture and its relation to the Joint Africa-Europe Strategy, more... |
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| AfriMAP submission to the Audit of the AU Institutions 24 October 2007 At the African Union summit held in Accra in July 2007 at which proposals for a Union Government were debated it was decided that a review of the performance of the existing AU institutions was needed. While 'all member states accept the United States of Africa as a common and desirable goal, the Executive Council agreed on the need for a pragmatic and progressive approach and recommended an audit of the state of the Union in order to identify areas in which significant improvement have to be made more... |
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AfriMAP co-hosts debates in Accra on the Union Government 24 June 2007 African leaders debated proposals for the rapid creation of a United States of Africa at the 9th Ordinary Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union that took place in Accra, Ghana, 1-2 July 2007. AfriMAP was one of the main sponsors of two fora that took place in advance of the summit, enabling civil society organizations to debate the proposal for a Union Government and provide input to what was termed the 'Grand Debate'. The first was a one day roundtable during more... |
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| AfriMAP joins civil society submission to the Pan African Parliament 09 May 2007 Thirty African and international civil society organisations working in over twenty five African countries participated in the first Consultative Dialogue with the Pan African Parliament (PAP) under the theme "Building Effective Mechanisms for Civil Society Engagement with Pan African and Regional Institutions". The Consultative Dialogue provided an opportunity for civil society organisations to reflect on the proposal for Union Government to be discussed at the African Union Summit in July more... |
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AU report launched in Senegal 06 April 2007 The report "Towards a People-Driven African Union: Current Obstacles and New Opportunities" was officially launched in Dakar, Senegal, 6 April 2007, at a ceremony organised by RADDHO, Oxfam GB/Senegal, and OSIWA. The report was presented to an audience of journalists, government officials and civil society representatives. A representative of the Minister for NEPAD, African Economic Integration and Good Governance was also present. Ibrahima Kane, co-author of the report, presented an more... |
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Monitoring African Governance Standards: Civil Society Event at the African Union Summit
June 2006 On 26-28 June 2006 the Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa (IHRDA), The Open Society Justice Initiative, Afrimap, and Partnership Africa Canada held a civil society workshop in Banjul, the Gambia, in advance of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government. The workshop was convened to discuss ways of improving government compliance, and the capacity of civil society to ensure this compliance, with commitments made under African Union and international treaties. The more... |
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