A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the NEPAD Secretariat and the Secretariat of the China-Africa Forum was signed by NEPAD’s Chief Executive, Prof. Firmino Mucavele, at the end of a visit to China at the invitation of the Chinese Government.

The MoU aims to strengthen co-operation and exchange of information between the Secretariats read more...

by Kola Ologbondiyan

The Federal Government has hired the services of consultants of five research institutions, to conduct a survey on Nigerians' perception of governance.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Ufot Ekaette, who made this disclosure at the joint meeting of the African Peer Review Mechanism read more...

The Chairperson of South Africa’s African Peer Review Mechanism National Governing Council, Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, has denied that the South African executive played any role in ‘watering down’ the South African APRM Country Self Assessment Report (CSAR) or Programme of Action.

PSAM director Mr Colm Allan last week identified read more...

by David Masango

The Head of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Country Review Mission, Professor Adebayo Adedeji, has praised the manner in which South Africa handled the APRM process, saying some countries could learn from it.

Speaking to the media at the Sheraton Hotel after meeting President Thabo Mbeki at the read more...

by Jerry Okungu

Two long articles in The East African, ( July 17-23, 2006) - one by Fred Oluoch and the other by Zachary Ochieng have prompted me to write this rejoinder.

Whereas Oluoch continued his commentary on the just concluded Kenya review under the Nepad's African Peer Review Mechanism, Ochieng picked on Gambian read more...

by Edwin Nshuti

Kigali, Jul 24, 2006 -- Africa Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) has commended Rwanda's efforts in fighting corruption, promotion of women rights, fostering country ownership and decentralisation of health services in the review report of the country launched recently.

The launch followed a successful peer review read more...

by Edwin Tshivhidzo

President Thabo Mbeki will meet the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Country Review Mission in Pretoria on Tuesday, to receive feedback.

Led by Professor Adebayo Adedeji of Nigeria, the mission has been in the country for over two weeks now, collecting further information to compile a response to read more...

Fred Oluoch, Special Correspondent

Despite putting up a spirited defence in Banjul in response to the issues raised by the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) report, the Kenya government will have a difficult task fulfilling all the pledges it made to other African leaders.

The government's response to the issues raised read more...

Mavinga Bata, président du Comité de Pilotage du NEPAD, qui a participé à l’atelier national tenu à Brazzaville en juin.Une structure de coordination pour le NEPAD dans la République du Congo a été mise en place à la suite d’un atelier national tenu les 22 et 23 juin 2006 à Brazzaville – une structure visant à mettre en œuvre l’intégration des projets read more...

The Coalition for the Establishment of An Effective African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights congratulates the Judges of the African Court on Human & People’s Rights on their swearing in by President Denis Sassou-Nguesso, Chairperson of the African Union at the 7th session of the meeting of the African Union Heads of Government in Banjul, The Gambia read more...

Abuja, Nigeria -- What is most important about the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) is that it empowers Africans to formulate their own development vision and strategy, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Linda Thomas-Greenfield said July 18.

Speaking at the Leon H. Sullivan VII Summit in Abuja, Thomas-Greenfield read more...

South Africans and Gauteng citizens in particular have a high level of awareness of what their government is doing and participate eagerly, says Professor Adebayo Adedeji, leader of the African Peer Review Mechanism Country Review Team.

Prof Adedeji was speaking during a meeting between his team of African experts and Gauteng Premier read more...

Par Charles Corey
Rédacteur du « Washington File »

Abuja (Nigeria) - De l'avis de la sous-secrétaire d'État adjointe aux affaires africaines, Mme Linda Thomas-Greenfield, l'élément le plus important du « Nouveau Partenariat pour le développement en Afrique » (NEPAD) est qu'il permet aux Africains d'élaborer leur propre stratégie read more...

Jerry Okungu

What transpired when President Kibaki appeared before the Nepad peer review in the Gambian capital of Banjul? This is a vexed question for two reasons: Foreign press reports coming out of Banjul were, as usual, negatively slanted. And, as usual, Kenya's press swallowed those reports without verifying them.

In read more...

Your Excellencies

Introduction

Thank you for responding to our invitation at such short notice. We felt that given the number of requests we have received for feedback on the outcomes of the 7th African Union Summit, it would be appropriate to convene this meeting. This will allow us to share these decisions with you as read more...

A co-ordination structure for NEPAD in the Republic of Congo has been established following a national workshop held in Brazzaville on 22-23 June 2006 aimed at implementing the integration of NEPAD priorities into the national development plan.

The Ministry of Planning, Land Development and Economic Integration working with NEPAD, will read more...

by Zibonele Ntuli

South Africa has submitted its country assessment report to the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Country Review Mission.

The review mission is in the country until July 25, and is expected to consult with government departments, parliamentarians, political parties and other institutions such as the read more...

Mozambican President Armando Guebuza on Thursday presided at a ceremony to launch the country's national forum for the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).

The APRM is the method chosen by the African Union to check on member states' record in political, economic and corporate governance. To date, however, only 26 of the AU member states read more...

Fred Oluoch, Special Correspondent

The effectiveness of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) has come under scrutiny after Kenya emerged from the exercise looking good.

This was despite questions being raised about the country's failure in fighting corruption and lack of press freedom.

Kenya was the read more...

by Thapelo Sakoana

The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Country Review Mission is to meet high ranking officials in Gauteng on Friday.

This follows the finalisation of South Africa's assessment report that will be handed over to the Country Review Mission in Pretoria tomorrow, during a ceremony to be attended by President read more...

The Government is working on a plan to tackle the concerns raised during the recent African Peer Mechanism (APRM) meeting in the Gambia.

Planning minister Henry Obwocha and his Foreign Affairs counterpart, Mr Raphael Tuju, said at the weekend that President Kibaki was committed to addressing all the issues, among them tribalism, poor read more...

ABUJA, 7 July (IRIN) - For the first time, countries of west and central Africa are coming together to fight the growing traffic in people for cheap labour and sexual exploitation.

Delegates from 26 countries in the two regions who concluded a two-day meeting in the Nigerian capital on Friday, resolved to adopt "as quickly as possible, read more...

Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem reports on the pomp and ceremony at the 7th AU Summit in Banjul, wondering how a poor country like Gambia can afford to host such a grand occasion.

There were notable absences including of Uganda's Museveni, but newcomers included the Chinese, Indianns, the Iranians, and Venezuela's Chavez. Civil Society Organisations read more...

Othello Gruduah

The African Peer Review on Kenya that was presented last week in The Gambia has many good things to say about Kenya, but it warns that the country faces serious challenges that are undermining its quest for development. Othello Gruduah looks at the verdict.

While the just concluded African Union Summit in read more...

The Gauteng provincial government is to host African Peer Review Mechanism's (APRM) country support mission for South Africa due in the country later this month.

The mission, being led by Prof Adebayo Adedeji of Nigeria, is expected to engage with stakeholders on the country report before its release in August.

The Provincial read more...

African leaders who were meeting in Banjul, The Gambia, say efforts would be deployed to integrate the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) into the African Union. The leaders of the NEPAD executive committee member countries made the announcement during the 7th AU Summit after having heard a report presented to them by the Secretariat a read more...

BANJUL, 3 July (IRIN) - The African Union on Monday launched the continent's first court that gives states and people equal rights to challenge governments suspected of human rights violations or other infractions.

Taking the podium and raising their right hands, 11 African legal experts pledged to "preserve, protect and defend" the African read more...

BANJUL, le 3 juillet (IRIN) - L’ex président tchadien Hissène Habré sera jugé au Sénégal pour les différents crimes qui lui sont reprochés. Telle est la décision prise par les chefs d’Etat des pays de l’Union africaine et confirmée par le président sénégalais Abdoulaye Wade.

« Toutes les disposition légales seront prises pour que M. Habré read more...

L’Afrique célèbre le cinquième anniversaire de la naissance, en juillet 2001, du Nouveau Partenariat pour le développement de l’Afrique (NEPAD). Le but qui régit le NEPAD est décrit dans le paragraphe d’ouverture du document qui le constitue : « Une promesse de la part des dirigeants africain, basé sur une vision commune et sur la conviction ferme et read more...

Le président de la République, Me Abdoulaye Wade, a pris part à l'ouverture de la septième session ordinaire des chefs d'État et de gouvernement de l'Union africaine, tenue samedi dans la capitale gambienne et portant sur l'intégration régionale et la rationalisation des communautés économiques régionales.

Le président gambien, Yaya Jammeh, read more...

The 7th African Union (AU) summit, having drawn 33 heads of state and government of its members, closed Sunday with decisions on a series of significant issues in the continent.

AU, the most important bloc of Africa, decided to suspend recognition of new regional economic communities in the continent, a move believed to be beneficial read more...

BANJUL, 2 July (IRIN) - The African Union has decided that former Chadian president Hissene Habre will take the stand in Senegal to face charges of crimes against humanity, and Senegal's president Abdoulaye Wade has promised that the trial will go ahead.

"All the legal provisions will be made so that Habre can be tried in Senegal. It is read more...

PRESS RELEASE
Banjul 2 July 2006: The African Court of Human and Peoples’ Rights held its first meeting today. Notably present at the maiden meeting were Madam Julia JOINER, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, the 11 eminent judges recently elected to the Court, the Chairperson of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the President read more...

DAKAR, le 30 juin (IRIN) - Compte tenu de l’appétit grandissant de la Chine pour les matières premières et le besoin constant d’aide économique de l’Afrique, le pays le plus peuplé du monde et le continent le plus pauvre de la planète semblent être en parfaite symbiose.

La Chine a déclaré 2006 « l’Année de l’Afrique ». Le Premier ministre read more...

Ministers meeting ahead of an African Union summit this weekend failed to adopt a charter on democracy and good governance that would seek to limit the scourge of coups and power-grabs, South Africa's foreign minister said.

The draft charter aims to discourage unconstitutional changes of government in Africa, where coups and the manipulation read more...

Africa is now celebrating the fifth anniversary of the birth of the New Partnership for Africa�s Development (NEPAD) in July 2001. The overarching purpose of NEPAD is defined in the opening paragraph of the founding document: "A pledge by African leaders, based on a common vision and a firm and shared conviction, that they have a pressing duty to eradicate read more...

The Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) has decided to impose targeted measures, including travel ban and assets freeze, against all persons or groups undermining the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA).

The decision came as part of a 17-point resolution issued at the 58th PSC meeting held at ministerial level Tuesday read more...

Le travaux du septième sommet de l'Union africaine auront lieu du 1er au 2 juillet 2006 à Banjul (Gambie) où les dirigeants africains vont discuter de plusieurs sujets dont le retrait de la mission africaine (Ua) au Darfour, les élections en République Démocratique du Congo, l'immigration clandestine et le sort de l'ancien président tchadien Hissène read more...

Calling the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights "a landmark achievement in the region for the region," United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour commemorated the 25th anniversary of its adoption, as other UN and African officials honoured the text on the continent itself.

"We celebrate the accomplishments read more...

By Lavinia Mahlangu

Pretoria- The upcoming 7th Summit of African Union (AU) Heads of State in Gambia, is to focus on regional economies and integration, says Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Aziz Pahad.

The theme of the summit is "Rationalisation of Regional Economic Communities and Regional Integration".

"...South read more...

Nairobi - Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki, under fire for a series of major graft scandals, said on Tuesday he welcomed an African Union assessment of his three-year-old government due to be released this week.

Despite previous bitter complaints about the peer review process, including an as-yet-unresolved lawsuit over access to government read more...

DAKAR, 27 June (IRIN) - Given China's growing hunger for natural resources and Africa's persistent need for economic aid, the world's most populous country and the globe's poorest continent appear to be nurturing a perfect symbiotic relationship.

Or is it?

China has dubbed 2006 the "Year of Africa." Chinese Premier Wen read more...

Nairobi, 27 June - Poverty in Africa can be made history if the region’s wealth of natural resources is effectively, fairly and sustainably harnessed a new report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) says.

Outstanding issues like rapid rates of deforestation, high levels of land degradation, wasteful water use in agriculture read more...

Nairobi, le 27 juin 2006 – La pauvreté pourrait disparaître à jamais du continent africain si les richesses en ressources naturelles de la région étaient exploitées de manière efficace, équitable et durable, affirme un nouveau rapport du Programme des Nations Unies pour l’environnement (PNUE).

Cependant, quelques problèmes non résolus read more...

Désignée par les chefs d'Etat africains pour être la première personnalité à présider aux destinés du Mécanisme africain d'évaluation par les pairs, Maep, la Sénégalaise Angélique Savane est une figure politique de proue en Afrique.

De main de maître, elle a guidé les premiers pas de cet instrument qui permet aux pays du continent de read more...

AFRICAN Union (AU) Commission chairman Alpha Oumar Konare has called for a vast expansion in AU powers to achieve the long-term goal of a “united states of Africa”.

Speaking at the University of SA (Unisa) at the weekend, Konare laid out his vision for an AU that could formulate regulations for all countries on the continent and to which read more...

By Thapelo Sakoana

Pretoria - Africa needs to accelerate the pace of integration across all spectrums if it is to successfully address its challenges.

This was said by the Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, Professor Alpha Omar Konare yesterday in his public lecture at the University of South Africa (UNISA) read more...

by Eshete Asefa

Ahead of the African Union summit in Accra, Civil Society, Parliamentarians and media representatives of 19 African countries, including Ethiopia were in Libya, Tripoli to attend a meeting called by Muammar Al-Ghaddafi who is lobbying for the formation of a union government of Africa.

Ghaddafi, who for read more...

Press Release

The Coordinating Committee set up by the Government of The Gambia
to oversee the African Union (AU) Summit has barred civil society
organizations on the continent from holding a forum on freedom of
expression in the country. The forum was scheduled to take place
in Banjul, the capital, on June read more...