AFRICAN UNION UNION AFRICAINE UNIÃO AFRICANA P. O. Box 3243, Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA Tel.: 00251-11-5517700 Cable: AU, ADDIS ABABA Website: www.africa-union.org EXECUTIVE COUNCIL Thirteenth Ordinary Session 24 – 28 June 2008 Sharm El-Sheikh, EGYPT EX.CL/438 (XIII) INTRO INTRODUCTORY NOTE OF THE CHAIRPERSON TO THE ACTIVITY REPORT OF THE COMMISSION EX.CL/438 (XIII) INTRO TABLE OF CONTENTS Pages INTRODUCTION Part I: PEACE AND SECURITY a. Continental Architecture of Peace and Security 2 b. Structural conflict prevention 3 c. Development in the field situations 4 d. Financing of Peace Operations 12 Part II: CHALLENGES TO DEVELOPMENT a. General economic issues 14 b. Development of basic infrastructure 17 c. Accelerating Agricultural Investments in Response to High Food Prices and Food Insecurity 21 d. Upsurge in fuel prices 25 e. Science and Technology 26 f. Education and the Youth 26 g. Trade, Partenerships and International negotiations 27 h. Social Development 30 PART III: SHARED VALUES a. Democracy and elections 35 b. The rule of law and human rights 36 c. African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance 37 d. Gender Equality 38 e. Integration, combatting xenophobia and African passport 38 PART IV : STRENGTHENING OF INSTITUTIONS a. Integrating NEPAD in Union Structures 39 b. Establishment of the financial institutions provided for in Article 19 of the Constitutive Act 40 c. Strengthening the Commission 42 d. Basic Principles and Approach 43 e. Cooperating with RECs 45 PART V : CONCLUSION 45 EX.CL/438 (XIII) INTRO Page 1 INTRODUCTION 1. Today we are living in a multipolar world characterized by the establishment of huge sub-regional entities (EUROPEAN UNION, MERCOSUR, NAFTA, ASEAN….) and the advent of many emerging countries on the international scene. In this new international context, Africa has the means to control the mechanisms and resources needed for its growth and development and to assume responsibility for its own destiny. In this respect, our continent should, in the spirit of solidarity and unity, consolidate the progress recorded in the areas of peace, security and shared values and the rational and uptimum management of all its abundant resources. It should further be endowed with the power to participate in international negotiations in order to be a credible partner calling attention in the management of global affairs. Also it should be able to inspire hope and cater for the well-being of its populations. 2. It is hardly two months since the new team you put in place last February and which I have the honour to lead assumed over power at the Commission. Obviously, this period is not enough to enable me to submit a detailed report of activities on our ambitions. However, in the following pages I hope to outline our major guidelines for the Commission at the service of our Member States, maintaining positive achievements in a spirit of institutional continuity while introducing new, realistic and pragmatic initiatives that can enable our continent to move forward towards its comprehensive development in order to put an end to its marginalization. This introductive note therefore aims to share with Member States some analyses and reflections on current issues facing our continent. It is also an introduction to the activity report of the Commission for the period January to June 2008, referenced EX.CL/438 (XIII). 3. In this general context, Peace and Security issues continue to play a primary role, but attention is also given to the significant improvements that the Commission needs to make in respect of building its human and institutional capacities. This note also highlights means identified to provide new solutions aimed at boosting economic growth and sustainable development in the continent, notably by operationalizing its field activities. Obviously issues relating to the consolidation of democracy, the promotion of the rule of law and human rights in an atmosphere of peace and security will be given pride of place. This introductory note is therefore divided into the following four major areas: i) peace and security; ii) development problems; iii) shared values; iv) strengthening of Union institutions. EX.CL/438 (XIII) INTRO Page 2 I. CONSOLIDATION OF PEACE AND SECURITY 4. During the last six months, the quest for peace and security continued to play a priority role in the work of the Commission. This concerned the completion of the continental architecture for peace and security as well as the prevention and management of conflicts, including the consolidation of peace where it has been restored. Similarly, the Commission strived to strengthen the partnerships it has forged with a number of institutions and countries in furtherance of the peace efforts made in the continent. a) Continental Peace and Security Architecture 5. We need not highlight the importance of completing the establishment of the continental peace and security architecture since it is but true that without a fully functional architecture, the AU will face a lot of difficulties in carrying through its ambitious agenda in the area of peace and security. Since the last session of the Executive Council and the Assembly of the Union, the Commission has pursued its sustained efforts towards the establishment of the various components of the continental peace and security architecture and effectively operationalizing them. 6. In conformity with the Protocol on the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the AU, the continental architecture for peace and security is based on the following four structures: the PSC, the Continental Early Warning System (CEWS), the Panel of the Wise and the African Standby Force (ASF). The Protocol further makes provision for enhanced cooperation between the AU and regional mechanisms for conflict prevention, management and settlement. During the review period, considerable progress was achieved in the establishment and operationalization of these structures. 7. Panel of the Wise: the Panel of the Wise was inaugurated on 18 December 2007 and held its first meeting in Addis Ababa on 20 February 2008. At the meeting, it elected the former Algerian Head of State, Ahmed Ben Bella, as its Chairperson for the current year, and also adopted its programme of work. The Panel identified some priority conflict situations on which it will focus its attention. It equally decided that each year, it will initiate brainstorming on an issue relating to conflict prevention and peace consolidation in Africa. For the year 2008, such brainstorming will be devoted to election related disputes and conflicts. 8. Continental Early Warning System: Significant progress was recorded in the process to fully operationalize the Continental Early Warning System, notably by sharpening data gathering tools, analyzing data collected, interacting with regional mechanisms for conflict prevention, management and settlement as well as with those of other relevant international organizations. Every four months, technical meetings will be organized to harmonize data gathering tools and discuss other issues of common EX.CL/438 (XIII) INTRO Page 3 interest. Attention will equally be paid to cooperation with the United Nations, its agencies and other competent international organizations working in this area. 9. African Standby Force: the Fifth Meeting of Security Chiefs and officials held in March 2008 and the Second meeting of Ministers of Defence and Security coming thereafter marked an important stage in the ASF establishment process, which has to be completed by 2010 latest. In this respect, the Ministers adopted the ASF guideline documents relating to its doctrine, standard operating procedures (SOPs), training and drilling, and command, control, communication and information (C3IS) systems. They also accepted in principle the documents relating to its early deployment capacity and the study on logistic depots. The outcomes of these meetings are contained in a separate report submitted to the Executive Council, indicating also the status of progress in the establishment of the regional brigades. 10. Protocol Cooperation Agreement between the AU and the Regional Mechanisms. This Protocol Cooperation Agreement was signed in January 2008. To apply the Protocol Agreement, most Regional Mechanisms transferred officers to the Commission. In furtherance of this cooperation, other measures are envisaged, including the holding of periodic technical and political meetings as well as the regular exchange of information. b) Structural prevention of conflicts 11. AU border programme (AUBP): Council endorsed the declaration on the AUBP and its implementation modalities as adopted by the Conference of African Ministers responsible for border issues in June 2007. This Declaration is in line with efforts on the structural prevention of conflicts, and all the more because since African countries gained independence, borders have been a constant source of misunderstanding and disputes. 12. As part of initial measures to be taken in view of the launch of the AUBP, the Commission was requested to initiate an operation on the study of borders at continental level in order to facilitate the delimitation and demarcation of African borders where this exercise has not yet taken place. In this respect, the Commission sent all Member States a questionnaire intended to determine the status of their borders. I urge all Member States that have not yet replied to the questionnaire to do so as soon as possible. Moreover, I am happy to state that some of our partners, particularly Germany, through the GTZ, and Italy expressed their readiness to provide financial and technical assistance for the implementation of the AUBP. In this respect, the Commission identified a number of actions to be undertaken in the months ahead. 13. Small arms and Light Weapons (SALW): Our continent is one of the most affected by the illicit proliferation of SALW. This situation is one of the factors contributing to the prevalence of conflicts and insecurity in Africa. It is against this background that a number of initiatives were taken to develop African common positions on how best to address the problem posed by the illicit proliferation of SALW.