Instructive AU documents

[RWalker]

"When materialism becomes dialectical, the world is not regarded as a world of states, but as a world of processes; a world not of things, but of facts. The endurance of the world consists in process; and activity, or process, becomes the life-blood of reality. Constructionism, nominalism, reductionism, all stop at the logical basis of categorial conversion; they ascertain only that conversion is logically possible. But when materialism becomes dialectical, it ensures the material basis of categorial conversion." Kwame Nkrumah

Following are three AU documents dealing with AU collaboration with the EU and United Nations, (and implicitly the USA). I suggest that we keep Nkrumah's observation (above) in mind when considering these documents, as it will be useful in focusing on the most positive response to such actions..

1.
Press release from Expert-Level Meeting on the Joint Africa-EU Strategy,
Addis Ababa, 23-24 March, 2007

On 23-24 March, experts from the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU) met at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa to discuss the preparations of the Joint EU-Africa Strategy – a political pact between the two neighbouring continents, marking a new phase in the EU-Africa partnership, which will be adopted at the EU-Africa Summit in Lisbon in late 2007.

The Joint Strategy will be prepared jointly by the EU and the AU in the course of 2007, with a first draft outline ready for the EU-Africa Ministerial Troika meeting in Brussels on 15 May. This is the first time that the EU and the AU have set out to develop a common political strategy of this kind and it is foreseen that the Joint Strategy will mark the beginning of a new phase in EU-Africa relations, characterised by equality, mutual respect and enhanced political cooperation on key political issues of mutual interest and mutual concern, including energy, global warning, and migration. In fact, already the process of preparing the Strategy has served to bring the two sides closer together and has helped stimulate open, constructive debate on a number of key political issues.

In the context of this two-day meeting, the two sides recalled issues discussed and the outcome of the recent successful AU-EU joint brainstorming meeting in Brussels, held on 19-23 February, 2007 and informed each other about consultations that have been taking place in recent weeks with EU Member States, AU Member States and civil society organisations and representatives in both Europe and Africa. It was noted that reactions from Member States and institutions on both sides so far have been positive and constructive and that there now is a need for continued close consultations in order to ensure wide engagement and coordinated positions. On the basis of the discussions in Addis, a preliminary draft outline was prepared by the two sides.

In the coming weeks, two large civil society outreach events will be organised to inform the broader public about the preparations of the Joint Strategy and to collect ideas and input for the drafting process – one in Accra, Ghana, on 26-28 March and one in Bonn, Germany, on 23-24 April. In the context of the discussions of the state-of-play of the internet-based consultations (www.europafrica.org) and the civil society involvement, both sides agreed on the need for balanced input from Africa and Europe and for sufficient account to be taken of comments made in the further development of the Joint Strategy. It was also agreed that the consultation process, and the close contact with civil society forged during the work with the Joint Strategy, should continue during 2007 and beyond, serving as a platform of debate on the implementation of the Joint Strategy and the future of the EU-Africa partnership.

Upcoming events:

* Civil society outreach event on 26-28 March in Accra, Ghana
* Meeting of the Drafting Committee on 12-14 April in Addis Ababa
* Civil society outreach event on 23- 24 April in Bonn, Germany
* Expert-level meeting on 26-28 April in Europe
* Senior officials meeting (SOM) on 12-14 May in Brussels

EU-Africa Ministerial Troika meeting on 15 May in Brussels



2.
PRESS RELEASE

At the invitation of the United Nations Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, The Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, Prof. Alpha O. Konare, paid a working visit for consultations at the United Nations headquarters on 16 and 17 April 2007 in New York. The meetings were attended a delegation from the African Union, including Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim, AU Special Envoy for Darfur, and AU Commissioner for Peace and Security, Ambassador Said Djinnit. The delegation of the UN included the UN Special Envoy for Darfur, Mr. Jan Eliasson, the Under-Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations, Mr. Jean-Marie Guehenno.

The consultations included meetings and a working diner with the Secretary General, informal consultations with the Security Council and a briefing with the African Group in New York.

The two delegations reviewed peace and security issues in Africa, namely the situations in Sudan, Somalia, relations between Chad and Sudan, Guinea, Cote d’Ivoire and the cooperation between the AU and the UN. During these consultations, the Chairperson:

q Welcomed the acceptance by the Government of the Sudan (GoS) of all components of the Heavy Support Package, and stressed the importance of continued and close cooperation for its implementation;

q Called for the consideration of sustainable funding for the African Union Mission in the Sudan (AMIS);

q Noted with satisfaction diplomatic efforts being deployed for the advancement of the peace process in Darfur;

q Commended the efforts of the AU and UN Special Envoys for Darfur, and expressed continued confidence in their work;

q Underscored the need for building full confidence with the GoS in the implementation of all agreements;

q Called for steadfastness in dealing with the situation in Darfur;

q Stressed the importance of an inclusive political dialogue in Darfur, for the establishment of sustainable peace;

q Re-iterated the importance of the normalization of relations between Sudan and Chad, as an essential contribution to the success of the peace process in Darfur;

q Stressed on the need to fully implement achievements thus far reached with the GoS, while pursuing preparations for Hybrid Operation.

q Called for support for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the need for national reconciliation in the country.




3.
New York, April 17, 2007

Press statement on the United nations heavy support package for the african Union mission in the sudan (Amis)



The Peace and Security Council, at its 76th meeting held on 10 April 2007, was briefed by the Commissioner for Peace and Security, on the Conclusions of the African Union – United Nations – Government of Sudan High Level Technical Consultations on the UN Heavy Support Package to AMIS, held in Addis Ababa on 9 April 2007.

The Council welcomed the Conclusions of the High Level Technical Consultations and the finalization of an agreement on the Package.

The Council noted that there remains, however, one important item relating to the Tactical Helicopter Unit of the Package on which the Sudanese delegation will further consult and hopes to provide a positive and expeditious response.

The Council looks forward to a positive and early response from the Government of Sudan, so as to make it possible to implement, in earnest, the Heavy Support Package and strengthen AMIS.


Addis Ababa, 10 April 2007