Eighteenth ordinary session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union to opens on 29 January
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, January 27, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- THEME: “Boosting Intra-African Trade”.
INVITATION TO REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MEDIA
WHEN: 29 – 30January 2012
WHERE: Plenary Hall of the new African Union Conference Center (AUCC), Headquarters of the African Union, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
WHO: Organized by the African Union Commission (AUC). The Assembly meeting will be attended by Heads of States and Governments of the 54 African Union member states, or their designated representatives
WHY: The ordinary session of the Assembly of AU Heads of States and Government is a statutory meeting of the AU. It is a time for the African leadership to take decisions on African integration and development in order to achieve the vision of the AU i.e. a united, prosperous and peaceful continent
OBJECTIVES: - The AU Heads of State and Government will discuss the theme of the summit i.e. “boosting intra African trade”. They will consider the recommendations of the Executive Council on the report of the Commission on the implementation of previous Decisions of the Executive Council and the Assembly; the report of the Peace and Security Council on its activities and the state of peace and security in Africa, including the activities of the Panel of the Wise; the report of Mr. Meles Zenawi, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and Chairperson of NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee (HSGOC); and his report on the 17th Conference of Parties of the UNFCCC (COP 17), that took place in Durban, South Africa, 28 November – 9 December 2011.
The Presidents and heads of delegations will also exchange views on the report of Mr. Denis Sassou Nguesso, President of the Republic of Congo and Africa's Coordinator on Africa's preparations for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio +20) with respect to the Common Position and Strategies vis-à-vis the challenges posed by the global economy and the international governance of the environment. They will discuss the report of Mr. Ernest Bai Koroma, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone and Chairperson of the Committee of Ten on the UN Reforms and that of Mr. Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda, on the 4th High Level Forum on Aid effectiveness held in Busan, South Korea, 29 November – 1st December 201.
Other issues under consideration by the Heads of State are the progress report of the Commission on the implementation of Assembly Decisions on the Hissene Habre Case and the progress report of the Commission on the transformation of the African Union Commission into the African Union Authority among others.
OUTCOME: During the Summit, the Heads of States are expected to adopt the Decisions and Recommendations of the 20th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council as well as the Declarations of the Summit. They will also agree on the date and venue of the 19th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union.
For more information, consult the African Union website: www.au.int and visit the 18th Summit web page of the AU at the following link: http//au.int/en/summit/18thsummit.
Journalists are invited to cover the official opening and closing ceremonies of the 18th Ordinary Session of the AU Summit on 29 and 30 January 2012 at the plenary hall of the New African Union Conference Center (AUCC) .
(Attached is the program of event of the opening ceremony. )
PROGRAMME OF EVENTS
EIGHTEENTH (18th) ORDINARY SESSION OF THE ASSEMBLY OF THE UNION
29 – 30 January 2012
Venue: New AUC Conference and Office Complex, Large Conference Hall
DAY ONE: Sunday 29 January 2012
08.30 – 09.30 hrs Planting of trees by the Heads of State and Government and Heads of
Delegations of Member States, the Guest of Honour, the Chairperson of
the AU Commission, the UN Secretary General and Ms. Wanjiru Maathai,
daughter of the late Prof. Wangari Maathai and Executive Director of the
Green Belt Movement International (in memory of late Prof. Wangari
Maathai, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and First Presiding Officer of the
ECOSOCC of the African Union)
9.30 – 10.00 hrs CLOSED SESSION for Heads of State and Government and Heads of Delegations plus one (1) member of their respective delegations proceed
to a Committee Room at the New AUC Conference Centre for consultations on the composition of the Bureau and Drafting Committee
10.30 - 12.00 hrs
I. OPENING CEREMONY
- AU Anthem;
- Minute of Silence;
- Statement by H.E. Mr. Jean Ping, Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union;
- Statement by H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary General of the United Nations;
- Statement by H.E. Mr. Jia Qinglin, Chairman of the Chinese Peoples' Political Consultative Conference of the Peoples' Republic of China, Guest of Honour;
- Statement by H.E. Mr. Michel Joseph Martelly, President of the Republic of Haiti;
- Statement by H.E. Mr. Mohamed Moncef Marzouki, President of the Republic of Tunisia;
- Statement by H.E. Dr. Abdul Rahim Al-Keab, Prime Minister of Libya;
- Opening Statement by H.E. Mr. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea and Chairman of the African Union;
- Election of the members of the Bureau and the Drafting Committee;
- Acceptance Statement by the Incoming Chairperson of the Union;
- Kwame Nkrumah Scientific Awards Ceremony for two (2) successful African Scientists: Prof. Oluwole Daniel Makinde, recipient of the Basic Sciences, Technology and Innovation Award; Prof. Maryke Tine Labuschagne, recipient of the Life and Earth Science Award.
- End of the official Opening Ceremony