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Tag: African Union

  • UN, AU, ECOWAS to parties: exercise restraint on election results

    The UN, African Union (AU) and ECOWAS have urged political parties to exercise restraint as the Independent National Electoral Commission announces the results of the presidential and National Assembly elections.

    In a statement by the international bodies made available on Tuesday by the ECOWAS Commission, they also urged candidates to continue to exercise patience for the complete results.

    “The attention of the ECOWAS, AU and the UN has been drawn to the rejection of the results of the presidential election of Feb.23, 2019 by one of the participating political parties, even as they are still in the process of being released.

    “ECOWAS, AU and the UN call on all candidates, political parties and indeed all Nigerians to continue to exercise patience, calm and restraint, in order to allow for the full results of the election to be released by INEC.

    They further encouraged aggrieved parties and persons to resort to legal means to seek redress, in accordance with the Constitution and relevant laws, as agreed in the Peace Accord of Feb. 13.

  • UN seeks more women involvement for peaceful elections

    Ms Comfort Lamptey, the United Nations (UN) Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, has urged stakeholders to ensure involvement of more women in peaceful elections in Nigeria.
    Lamptey, who made the call on Wednesday in Abuja during a forum on Women Leaders Platform for Peaceful Elections, said women must be involved as the elections drew closer.
    She said violence against women including during elections had been a reason for women not to run for public office and also an obstacle to the realisation of women’s political rights.
    According to her, with increased representation and voice, women in politics can raise the profile of key issues including women’s participation in the labour force, reproductive rights, health issues and poverty alleviation.
    She noted that enough women were not running for political positions and that voters were insufficiently supporting female candidates and therefore encouraged more participation of women in politics.
    “Peaceful elections devoid of all forms of violence can only happen when citizens fully understand how it impacts our progress as individuals, citizens and as a nation.
    “Women need active roles in elections, full participation not only as voters but also in increasing women in leadership positions as well as in peace committees.
    “Building sustainable peace requires commitment and strong partnership between the government, security sector electoral bodies and the media to create a peaceful environment where the differences will be respected with the focus on the country’s development,” she said.
    She introduced the African Women Leaders Network (AWLN), an initiative UN women embarked on at the continental level with the African Union and the support of Republic of Germany, as part of their ongoing efforts to promote women’s leadership in peace and stability.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the network was set up in New York in 2017 with 100 African women leaders from various sectors.

    Read Also:No plan for coalition with parties — Lagos ADC

    She said that their aim was to strengthen women’s leadership in Africa’s transformation in line with the Agenda 2063, towards lasting peace and sustainable development in all sectors, at all levels, building on and working with existing women networks.
    Lamptey said that the AWLN pioneer members in Nigeria were in the process of launching the national chapter of the network with support of UN Women, the African Union and the Embassy of Germany.
    She however hoped that the network would encourage women leaders in Nigeria to address some of the challenges faced by women in the society as well as demonstrate women’s leadership in working towards a common goal of achieving peaceful elections and prevention of violence against women in politics.
    The Deputy Ambassador of Germany to Nigeria, Ms Regina Hess, urged Nigerian women to participate in politics as well as become better candidates for better positions.
    Hess noted that election violence affected women more and stressed that it made them grow stronger.
    “When there is crisis women grow in strength and during war, they shape in also for their men and crisis has some sort of positive sides because it helps women grow,” she said.
    She also said that the German government would support the African women network and enjoined women to vote, saying that every vote counted.
    She however advised against violence during elections, noting that elections come and go but they remained.

  • Congo rejects AU call to delay final election results

    Congo’s Government on Friday rejected a call by the African Union ( AU ) to delay the final results of the recent elections following reports of vote rigging.

    “This is a scandalous statement that we don’t support. You cannot give injunctions to the constitutional court from abroad,” government spokesman Lambert Mende told dpa.

    “The court will deliver its verdict and will publish the final results this weekend,’’ Mende said.

    The spokesman was responding to an AU statement released on Thursday after the bloc met in Ethiopia and concluded there were “serious doubts on the conformity of the provisional results” proclaimed by the electoral commission.

    “Accordingly, the heads of state and government called for the suspension of the proclamation of the final results of the elections.’’

    The AU supported runner-up Martin Fayulu’s appeal to Congo’s highest court to order a recount, a matter it is now deliberating.

    Several international media outlets reported on Tuesday on leaked voting data that showed that Fayulu had in fact won the polls on Dec. 30, and not another opposition candidate, Felix Tshisekedi, as the electoral authorities had said.

    Read Also: AU urges Congo to delay final election result

    Fayulu has suggested Tshisekedi and President Joseph Kabila did a back-room deal after early results showed Kabila’s chosen successor, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, finished third.

    Western powers have not congratulated Tshisekedi, and France has expressed concern over the official results which saw Tshisekedi win 38.57 per cent of the vote to Fayulu’s 34.8 per cent.

    The influential Catholic Church has backed Fayulu’s assertion that Tshisekedi didn’t win, and even Congo’s neighbours in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have urged a recount.

  • PDP knocks Buhari, APC over handling of MTN fine

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has charged President Muhammadu Buhari to come out clear on allegations of corruption and sharp practices that have pervaded the recovery of the N1.03tn fine imposed on telecom giant, MTN Nigeria.

    In a statement on Thursday by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, said President Buhari and his administration have a lot of questions to answer on how the fine was reduced to N330 billion.

    The party tasked the Presidency to address allegations that certain interests in the Presidential villa, said to be very close to President Buhari, allegedly took a bribe of N500 million to reduce the fine imposed on the telecom firm.

    The statement said, “It is, to say the least, disgusting that while this allegation of bribery at the Villa has remained uncleared by the Presidency, President Buhari, the same African Union (AU) Anti-Corruption Champion, on Wednesday, approved the frittering of another N500 million from the same fund, under controversial claims of professional fees to unnamed persons for unspecified services.

    Read Also: APC governors visit Buhari

    “For a government that prides itself as fighting corruption, the nation had long expected Mr. President to clear the air on the sordid allegation of bribery in the Presidential Villa. Rather than progressing in that direction, President Buhari has continued to act as if the demand by Nigerians, to know the truth about the alleged bribery in the villa over the payment of MTN fine, does not matter.

    “Furthermore, the PDP challenges President Buhari to come out clear on the basis for the purported N500million professional fee. What due process instruments did he rely upon? Who are these lawyers? Who contracted them; under what terms and what services did they render that were beyond the Attorney General of the Federation and the team of lawyers at the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) and the Ministry of Justice?

    “Now that it has become clear that the Buhari Presidency is entangled in sleazes over the NTN fine saga, the PDP charges President Buhari to end his concealment of corruption in the villa and show his sincerity by allowing an open inquest into his administration’s dealings on the MTN fine payment”.

  • Free trade deal: What’s in it for Nigeria?

    President Muhammadu Buhari’s refusal to sign the African Continental Free Trade Agreement(AfCFTA)at the just concluded African Union summit in Kigali,Rwanda, has raised mixed reactions from a cross section of Nigerians over the propriety or otherwise of that decision.  Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf in this report examines the issues

    How free is free trade? This is one simple question that has been hotly debated so much with welter of criticism rife amongst the organised private sector most of who have stoutly opposed Nigeria’s participation in the African Continental Free Trade Agreement(AfCFTA)signed at the just concluded African Union summit in Kigali, Rwanda.

    At the AU meeting in Rwanda, 44 African countries signed the AfCFTA framework agreement. The continent’s two biggest economies, Nigeria and South Africa, refused to sign.

    Like Nigeria, South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa reportedly said his country will join the agreement when the necessary legal processes are concluded. He said he will sign once the legal and other instruments associated with the trade bloc are processed and ratified by South African stakeholders and parliament.

    What the AfCFTA is all about

    According to statement issued on its website, the 18th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in January 2012,gave birth to the AfCFTA which was designed to create a continental trade bloc of 1.2 billion people, with a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of about $3 trillion.

    The agreement, seen as an important milestone in promoting Africa’s regional integration and helping to increase intra-African trade, requires that countries remove tariffs on 90 per cent of goods and to liberalise services. Just as its  has its main objective as the creation of a single continental market for goods and services, with free movement of business persons and investments.

    The AfCFTA treaty is one of the flagship projects of the African Union Agenda 2063, and is aimed at creating a single continental market for goods and services, with free movement of business persons, investments and a single currency.

    Furore over AfCFTA

    Interestingly, former President Olusegun Obasanjo is one those that has raised his voice above the din over the inability of President Buhari to sign the Africa Continental Free Trade Area agreement, warning that there are dire implications if the president decides to change  it may be too late when he changes his .

    Obasanjo poured out his mind on the AfCFTA during a presidential panel, titled: ‘When Leaders Make History’ at the Africa CEO Forum in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire on Tuesday. He was joined by the President of Zimbabwe, Emerson Mnangagwa.

    Obasanjo said, “That President Buhari didn’t sign the free trade agreement in Kigali is disappointing; I hope he signs it before it is too late.

    “Egypt started the discussion on the formation of the Organisation of African Unity but didn’t conclude it and Nigeria took over. Nigeria was also central to the discussion of the free trade agreement, but I am surprised that the country withdrew from signing.”

    Besides, there are fears on what may be the adverse implications of such action chief among which is the  fact that it will boost smuggling activities. However, the Minister of State for Commerce, Industry, Trade & Investment, Hajia Aisha Abubakar, recently said that the government will in due course, make its position known on it, pledging that government remained poised towards protecting indigenous manufacturers.

    The federal government had delayed the signing of the treaty to allow for more deliberations and input from stakeholders and had set up a committee on the issue before the President would sign the treaty.

    OPS groundswell of opposition

    But the President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Dr. Frank Jacobs, said the government’s enforcement mechanism in the area of enforcement of rules of origin needed to be clearly defined before local producers could support the agreement.

    Jacobs noted that although, he and other MAN members were not oblivious of the benefits inherent in the establishing the AfCFTA could improve intra-African trade and enhance economic growth and sustainable development, Nigeria must be cautious before rushing into a free trade agreement with other African countries.

    He, therefore, urged the government to renegotiate trade conditions that could impede economic growth in its review of the (AfCFTA) agreement.

    Jacobs, who spoke in Lagos, last week, said the trade pact will result in job losses, as most manufacturing companies in the country will close shop.

    He explained that the private sector’s agitation was because of the lack of consultation and inclusion of inputs of key stakeholders before Nigeria’s position was presented at the meetings of the AU-Technical Working Group on CFTA in the build-up to AfCFTA negotiation by Nigeria.

    Jacobs urged the government to set in motion a process that will enable all stakeholders on the international trade value chain in Nigeria to quickly review the text of the draft AfCFTA agreement and come up with comments on areas that are not in the best interest of the economy and sectors.

    He said: “The government should, as matter of urgency, convene a special meeting of the relevant stakeholders, including experts on trade policy, to consider tariff lines rates along the line of efficiency, sectoral and sub-sectoral preferences that would be most beneficial to Nigerian businesses under the AfCFTA dispensation.

    “It will also reconsider the national position on EPA vis-a-vis the AfCFTA, especially on tariff lines of products on the sensitive/exclusion list, with a view to ensuring that the EU-EPA is not reintroduced through the AfCFTA’s back door.

    “Review presentations and prepare a detailed submission for the Government on ways and means of participating in the AfCFTA in a manner that our national interest and that of the budding manufacturing sector are effectively protected.”

    While commending Buhari for refusing to sign the trade deal, Jocobs reiterated that MAN will not support the government’s adoption and ratification of the agreement establishing the AfCFTA until the issues of market access and enforcement of ROO are addressed.

    As to be expected, before President Buhari’s scheduled visit to Rwanda for the Extra-Ordinary Summit of the AU on March 21, during which he was to sign the AfCFTA, a groundswell of opposition by OPS members, labour and other critical stakeholders in the economy, had trailed the proposed agreement.

    The labour movement, particularly the Nigeria labour Congress (NLC) and,other civil society groups also warned the President against signing the agreement. They insisted that it will hurt Nigeria’s productive sector and the economy generally.

    The NLC specifically warned the federal government not to sign the policy document, warning that it will cripple the economy and leave more Nigerians unemployed.

    Besides, it expressed fears that the agreement will expose the economy to foreign intervention, which will allow foreign firms to operate in the local market without employing Nigerians.

    NLC President Ayuba Wabba aligned with MAN’s President Frank Jacobs argument that the proposed agreement lacked the inputs of relevant stakeholders, including the organised labour.

    He said ordinarily, proponents of the

    Wabba said: “We find it confounding that at a time nations, including the United States (U.S) are resorting to protectionism in defence of their local businesses and protection of jobs, we have the audacity to want to fling open our doors, windows and roof tops.

    “We have no doubt that this policy initiative will spell the death knell of the Nigerian economy. Accordingly, we urge Mr. President not to sign this agreement either in Kigali or anywhere.”

    According to him, the national interest takes precedent and nothing should be allowed to compromise it.

    He said: “The AfCFTA, rather than unite Africa will only divide it the more.  Rather than enrich Africa, it will only pauperise it the more.

    “Those pulling the strings of this radioactive agreement are somewhere, well concealed and protected in the metropolis of the world. They have had this all thought-out and profits computed well ahead.”

    The United Labour Congress (ULC) faction of the NLC commended Buhari for putting a halt to its hurried signing of the trade deal.

    In a statement by its General Secretary, Didi Adodo, ULC said: “Nigeria is not only an importer nation, but also an economy with weak infrastructural base thereby increasing the cost of the products produced in Nigeria.

    “If signed, the AfCFTA will only encourage industrialised countries to use other African nations to push their products to the Nigerian market thereby killing locally produced goods. We reject it in its entirety.”

    Support for AfCFTA

    It is however instructive to note that a few discerning Nigerians pushing for AfCFTA have argued matter-of-factly that the supposed benefits of the trade pact are too good for Nigeria to ignore. Apart from its inherent capacity to promote economic growth and development, reduce poverty in the partnering countries (Nigeria inclusive), the promoters believe it would expand and diversify trade and increase domestic and foreign investment.

    The continent’s share in world trade is also not impressive, standing at less than three per cent. That informed the move to stimulate intra-African trade by at least 25-30 per cent to raise the continent’s share in global trade and competitiveness, African leaders came up with the idea of establishing AfCFTA.

    The AfCFTA they argue,would lead to a significant growth of intra-Africa trade and also assist Africa use trade more effectively as an engine of growth and sustainable development. It was expected to help Africa participate in global trade as an effective and respected partner.

    Besides,by the agreement include, enhancing competitiveness at the industry and enterprise level, through exploitation of opportunities for scale production; continental market access and better re-allocation of resources; provision of a comprehensive framework to pursue a developmental regionalism strategy for the continent.

    In the view of Prof. Jonathan Aremu,a professor of International Economic Relations at the Covenant University,Nigeria’s refusal to be of the epochal event is the saddest thing that can happen to any country.

    While trying to.justify what he considered a very awkward development.

    “Ithink the real problem with Nigeria is that there was not enough sensitisation and I agree. Secondly, the Nigerian Office of Trade Negotiation was just created August last year. I don’t think that office that is in charge of negotiation for AfCFTA has enough capacity in terms of funding to be able to organise a free trade area because up till now, I think that it was created by an Executive Order. So I don’t think they’ve been able to mobilise funds immediately to get it done.”

     

  • ARCON accredits Architecture programmes of Caleb University

    The Architects Registration Council of Nigeria ( ARCON ) has given full accreditation to both first and second degrees Architecture programmes of Caleb University.

    The Public Relations Officer of the university, Elvis Otobo, said in a statement that the letter conveying the approval was signed by the Registrar of ARCON, Umar Murnai ( FNIA ).

    Otobo said that the accreditation was contained in a letter dated March 5 and addressed to the management of the university by the council.

    According to Otobo, the council, in the letter, re-accredited the B.Sc. Degree in Architecture and fully accredited the Master’s Degree programme of the institution.

    An excerpt from the ARCON’s letter of re-accreditation reads: “We refer to all correspondences relating to the professional accreditation to the Department of Architecture, Caleb University, Imota, held from Nov. 14, 2017.

    “We hereby inform you that in line with Section 9 of the Architects Registration, Act CAP A19 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 200/404, the Council of the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria ( ARCON ) at the meeting of Nov. 24, 2017, considered the report of the visitation.

    “In considering the report, the council took cognisance of the fact that the department has good staff/students’ ratio of (1:9).

    “It has a staff quality/students’ coefficient rating of (1:2) in line with the minimum acceptable standard of SSR (1:12) and SSQC (1:4) respectively, and the substantial improvement in physical infrastructure, facilities and equipment.

    “We, therefore, re-accredited the Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) and Master of Science (M.Sc.) degree programmes in Architecture of the Department of Architecture, Caleb University, Imota, Lagos State’’.

    Otobo said that the National Universities Commission ( NUC ) had earlier given full accreditation to the architecture programmes in the university.

    “The department has received some high-profile visitors, who rated the facilities as one of the very best in Africa.

    “Femi Majekodunmi, the Chairman, FMA Architects and past President of Nigerian Institute of Architects and past President of African Union of Architects, said that the Department of Architecture in Caleb University has one of the best facilities in Africa,’’ the PRO said.

    NAN

  • Don lauds Buhari’s choice as AU anti-corruption champion

    Don lauds Buhari’s choice as AU anti-corruption champion

    President Muhammadu Buhari’s choice as the African Union (AU) anti-corruption champion has brought corruption to the front burner as a major problem facing the continent, Dr Olawale Lawal, has said.

    He told the News  on Thursday in Lagos that corruption was a major stumbling block to Africa’s development.

    Lawal, a Diplomacy and Foreign Policy lecturer at the Lagos State University, Ojo, said it was appropriate for the AU to take anti-corruption as its theme for the 54th summit.

    “It is not unusual for international organisations to build their summits around certain themes.

    “The choice of our own President Muhammadu Buhari to champion the continent’s anti-corruption drive is also auspicious, considering his anti-corruption credentials.

    “This is an indication that African leaders now understand that corruption is a major stumbling block to development on the continent and are willing to address it, ” he said.

    The lecturer advised African leaders to translate their resolutions into actions that would further earn them good reputation in the international community.

    Read Also: Electorate should determine Buhari’s eligibility not Obasanjo – Minister

    “Many of the past AU resolutions, especially as it concerns economic policies, were not implemented, but this should be different.

    “African leaders should develop capacity and appropriate laws to tackle issues of corruption in their various countries, and corrupt people in leadership positions should be sanctioned.

    “This will go a long way towards stemming the tide of retrogression, and it will build confidence in most of the countries of the western world,” he said.

    Lawal said that Nigeria, as an important AU member country, should spearhead the right policies and programmes aimed at steady growth and sustainable development.

    “Nigeria has the capacity to influence the direction of the AU due to its huge financial commitment to the organisation.

    “With our president now at the forefront of anti-corruption on the continent, we should strive to improve our institutions so they can effectively tackle corruption at home.

    “This will go a long way to justify the choice of President Buhari, and also to encourage other African leaders to show more commitment in developing their countries and tackling corruption,” he said.

    NAN

  • Buhari returns to Abuja after AU Summit

    Buhari returns to Abuja after AU Summit

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday returned to Abuja after a successful outing at the 30th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he was conferred as the anti-corruption Champion.

    The theme of the 30th AU Summit was; “Winning the Fight against Corruption: A Sustainable Path to Africa’s Transformation.’’

    The President’s aircraft landed at the presidential wing of the Nnamdi International Airport Abuja at about 2.20p.m.

    The Chief of Staff to the President, Malam Abba Kyari, Inspector-General of Police Idris Ibrahim, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Musa Bello, Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Mr Ahmed Abubakar and other presidential aides were at the airport to welcome the President.

    President Buhari had on Jan. 27 started his four-day engagement in Addis Ababa when he joined 14 other members of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union to discuss conflict and crisis situations across the continent.

    PSC is a standing organ of the AU for the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts.

    The meeting discussed the persistence of violent conflicts and crisis situations in some parts of the continent, the upsurge of Internally Displaced Persons ( IDPs ) and refugees, climate change and its consequences as well as the issue of the derailment of national development programmes.

    The meeting also reviewed the situations in Somalia, South Sudan, Libya, Guinea Bissau, the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

    At the meeting, President Buhari had stressed the need to curb the flow of terrorism financing.

    The President, who spoke under the theme, “Towards a Comprehensive Approach to Combat the Transnational Threat to Terrorism”, maintained that “concerted efforts must be made to dismantle the network between transnational organised crimes and terrorist organisations, and also to block the payment of ransom to terrorist groups.

    Buhari expressed Nigeria’s grave concern over the increasing threats posed by transnational terrorism and the attendant humanitarian crisis.

    The president also condemned in the strongest terms the continued activities of the terrorist groups in Africa, and around the world and called for more concerted action by the African body and the international community to address the global scourge.

    According to him, in doing that, the conditions that are conducive to the spread of extremism, radicalisation and terrorism must first be addressed.

    He added that collaborative measures must be taken to disrupt the recruitment of terrorists, their financing networks and the movement of foreign fighters.

    Read Also:  Don’t ignore Obasanjo’s letter, ex-NANS president tells  Buhari

    Buhari disclosed that Nigeria had enacted domestic anti-terrorism laws that also deal with related issues such as kidnapping, drug peddling and gun-running.

    He, however, noted  “terrorism cannot be defeated only through military force and law enforcement measures.

    While formally launching the African Anti-Corruption Year 2018 during the Opening Ceremony of the 30th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union on Sunday, Buhari described corruption as “one of the greatest evils of our time.’’

    The President thanked his African colleagues for entrusting him with such a noble responsibility.

    He pledged to do his best “to ensure that the anti-corruption agenda receive the attention it deserves and make the impact we all hope for, during 2018 and beyond.”

    He said: “Corruption is indeed one of the greatest evils of our time. Corruption rewards those who do not play by the rules and also creates a system of distortion and diversion thereby destroying all efforts at constructive, just and fair governance.’’

    The President, who noted that Africa had made some significant strides in enacting legal and policy frameworks such as the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption (AUCPCC) to address the vice, said the desired impact had been lacking.

    “Fifteen (15) years after the adoption of the African Union Convention, 2018 provides a good starting point to take stock of progress made so far, assess what still needs to be done and devise new strategies to address new corruption challenges,” he said.

    President Buhari and ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo had exchange pleasantries briefly before the opening ceremony of the 30th Ordinary Session of the Assembly.

    Their contact marked the first time both men met since the controversial special letter released by Obasanjo criticizing Buhari’s administration and advising him not to seek re-election in 2019.

    The latest reaction to Obasanjo’s letter came from a serving Minister of Communications, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu, who on Monday, advised the former president to allow Nigerians to determine Buhari’s eligibility or otherwise to re-contest the presidential election in 2019.

    Shittu told State House correspondents in an interview that, “Obasanjo as a Nigerian has the right to hold an opinion.

    According to him, if Obasanjo holds an opinion that Mr President has performed less than it should be, those of us who are in the position to know better has a right to also state the other side, which perhaps Obasanjo is ignorant of.

    “You see, there are some people who enjoy engaging in sensationalism.

    “With due respect to General Obasanjo, if you take his history over the last 30 years, there is hardly any regime other than his own that he did not criticize except Sani Abacha, who didn’t wait for Obasanjo to criticize him before he was sent to the gulag.

    “So many Nigerians know that Obasanjo enjoys this type of sensationalisation’’.

    President Buhari also attended the closing ceremony of the summit on Monday where the African Union inaugurated the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM).

    NAN

  • AU unveils plaque inaugurating single African air transport market

    AU unveils plaque inaugurating single African air transport market

    The African Union ( AU ) on Monday inaugurated the Single African Air Transport Market ( SAATM ) in the framework of the ongoing 30th AU summit in Ethiopia’s Capital Addis Ababa.

    President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, who is the current chair of the 55-member African bloc, and Moussa Mahamat, Chairperson of the AU Commission, unveiled the plaque on the premises of the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, marking the inauguration of the SAATM.

    The SAATM is a flagship project of AU Agenda 2063, which aspires to create a single unified air transport market in Africa, the liberalisation of civil aviation in Africa and as an impetus to the continent’s economic integration agenda.

    According to the AU, the launch of SAATM is expected to spur more opportunities to promote trade, cross-border investments in the production and service industries including tourism, resulting in the creation of an additional 300,000 direct and two million indirect jobs.

    READ ALSO: ISGPP to host seminar on economy

    In order to move the continent forward towards the concrete implementation of the AU Agenda 2063, the 24th Assembly of Head of States and Government, which took place between Jan. 30 and Jan. 31, 2015 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, adopted the Declaration on the Establishment of a SAATM.

    Eleven African Member States championed the Declaration by signing the Solemn Commitment to actualise the Yamoussoukro Decision creating the single market.

    These Member States were constituted as a Ministerial Working Group with the responsibility to follow-up implementation progress, provide guidance, and spearhead the advocacy campaign to urge more Member States to join the single market.

    In May 2016, the AUC wrote to those States that have signed the Solemn Commitment to highlight a number of concrete measures for them to undertake to initiate operationalisation of the single air transport market in the continent as soon as possible.

    Among these measures, each State is required to officially publish in accordance with its national regulations or gazette that they are committed to the immediate implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision under the terms of the Declaration of Solemn Commitment in line with the AU Agenda 2063.

    NAN

  • Africa still in shock at Trump’s vulgar comments on Africa: Mahamat

    Africa still in shock at Trump’s vulgar comments on Africa: Mahamat

    AU Chairperson Moussa Mahamat said on Thursday African leaders and citizens are still in shock at vulgar comments about the continent attributed to U.S. President Donald Trump.

    Mahamat was speaking during the opening session of the 32nd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the AU in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

    “At the time of the convening of the meeting Africa has not yet finished digesting the statements and pronouncements made by U.S. President which has deeply shocked through the messages of despise and hatred and the desire to marginalise and exclude Africa,” said Mahamat.

    He also said Africa won’t keep quiet in the face of hateful comments.

    Trump reportedly used the word “shithole” to describe African countries, Haiti and El Salvador while discussing immigration issues with U.S. lawmakers earlier this month.

    Read Also:Nigeria summons U.S ambassador over Trump’s ‘shithole’ comment

    Trump’s alleged remarks have caused outrage across the world with officials in African, European, Latin American countries and UN expressing condemnation and summoning U.S. diplomats in protest.

    The AU Executive Council meeting will last two days and bring together foreign ministers of the 55 African Union Member States and senior AU officials.

    The Executive Council will consider draft decisions and declarations of the session with recommendations for consideration by the Assembly of the AU Heads of State and Government, scheduled to take place between Thursday and Friday.

    NAN