AU summit Archives - Jean-Jacques Cornish

Africa Free Trade Agreement has come into force

Jean-Jacques Cornish — Thu, 30 May 2019 22:00:00 +0000

The Africa Free Trade Agreement came into force at midnight. Now the real work begins

South Africa’s among the continental heavyweights that have ratified it.

It’s hoped Nigeria will join to boost intra-African trade in a market of 1,2 billion people worth $2,5 trillion.

The operational phase of the Africa Free Trade Agreement will be launched at the AU summit in Niger on July 7.

Work to be done includes agreeing on arbitration, certificates of origin of goods, tackling corruption and improving infrastructure.

Critics cite the most serious challenges as poor infrastructure and lack of diversity.

When fully operational, the AFTA will boost intra-African trade by 60%.

Currently only 16% of African trade is between countries of the continent.

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Egypt expected to concentrate on security and peacekeeping during its African Union presidency

Jean-Jacques Cornish — Sat, 09 Feb 2019 22:00:00 +0000

Egypt’s President Abdel Fatah El Sisi assumes the rotating presidency of the African Union at the summit of the 55-nation grouping in Addis Ababa today.

Continental leaders, including President Cyril Ramaphosa, will urge him to push administrative and financial reforms introduced by his predecessor Rawanda’s President Paul Kagame.

But the former Egyptian military leader’s expected to stress security and peacekeeping issues.

Five years ago the African Union suspended Egypt after Abdel Fatah El Sisi’s coup unseated Mohamed Moursi .

El Sisi’s elevation to the ceremonial leadership of the union marks his full rehabilitation.

He’s dealing with significant domestic security challenges that are expected to colour the flavour of his AU presidency that will concentrate on dealing with migration and displaced persons from and within Africa.

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Raila Odinga offers to mediate South Sudan peace talks

Jean-Jacques Cornish — Wed, 06 Jun 2018 22:00:00 +0000

Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga’s offered to mediate in face-to-face talks between South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar.

This effort to end the civil war tearing Africa’s newest country will entail Machar returning from his shelter in South Africa.

The prospect of having Riek Machar involved in talks is a positive development after the breakdown of South Sudan peace negotiations in Addis Ababa.

Offering his proven bridge-building skills, Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga has seen South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir to offer his mediation services.

Machar’s team say they’re looking forward to having their leader meet Odinga so that peace talks can begin before the African Union summit on Muritania on July 1.

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African Development Bank forecasts a third year of growth for the continent

Jean-Jacques Cornish — Fri, 26 Jan 2018 22:00:00 +0000

The African Economic Outlook presented at Addis Ababa on the eve of the 30th AU summit says the continent’s economies have been resilient to negative shocks, but poor infrastructure is a serious impediment to inclusive growth.
It puts African growth at 3,7% last year – up on 2016’s 2,4 percent and forecasts 4,1 percent for the year ahead.
The Economic Outlook is the African Development Bank’s flagship analysis of the state of African economies.
The Bank’s Chief Economist and Vice-President for Economic Governance and Knowledge Management, Célestin Monga, says the report is presented now to give policy-makers enough time to reflect on the recommendations for economic planning and transformation.
Monga says growth was driven by improved global economic conditions, better macroeconomic management, recovery in commodity price, sustained domestic demand and improvements in agriculture production.

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Hundreds protest more foreign peacekeepers in South Sudan

Jean-Jacques Cornish — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 22:00:00 +0000

Hundreds have taken to the streets in Juba in a government-organized a protest against the deployment of foreign troops to secure the South Sudanese capital after recent clashes between opposing army factions that left hundreds dead.

The African Union summit this week backed a regional protection force to bolster a 12 000-strong U.N. peacekeeping mission in South Sudan and separate warring parties.

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U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has supported reinforcing the UN peacekeeping force mission in South Sudan.

As has the former rebel leader Riek Machar, who is now first vice president.

President Salva Kiir’s forces bombed his house during the fighting that raised fears of a return to civil war.

Yesterday’s Protest organier Ajongo Ajongo says it will be regettable to impose more foreign troops on South Sudan.

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AU summit delayed by legal battle over Bashir

Jean-Jacques Cornish — Sat, 13 Jun 2015 22:00:00 +0000

The official opening of the 25th African Union Summit in Sandton has been delayed by the legal battle the host country’s having over the presence of Sudan’s President Omar Al Bashir.
For the first time in the continental body’s history, leaders are meeting without advisors and officials.
Bashir is with them.

African leaders are waiting on Judge Hans Fabricius in the Pretoria High Court to rule on the propriety of a South African government declaration giving blanket immunity to all leaders and delegates attending the summit.
The proclamation gazetted last Thursday ties the hands of prosecutors waiting to spring on Bashir and arrest him on two International Criminal Court warrants in force alleging his involvement in genocide in Darfur.
The prosecutors say political interference is preventing them fulfilling their responsibility in terms of South African domestic law.

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Prosecutors rail against political interference in Bashir immunity

Jean-Jacques Cornish — Sat, 13 Jun 2015 22:00:00 +0000

South African prosecutors were ready to spring on Sudan’s president Omar al Bashir when he arrived in South Africa.
They were warned off by government that’s given blanket immunity to any leader, delegate and even people attached to delegations attending the African Union summit.

This extraordinary piece of what prosecutors are calling unprecedented political interference came in a government gazette provision last Thursday under the Diplomatic Immunities and Protections Act.
The prosecutors and Department of International Relations and Cooperation were told unequivocally that it covers leaders and delegates arriving and moving to and from the AU summit in Sandton.
The prosecutors say they’ve ascertained from the International Criminal Court that they’re obliged to arrest Sudan’s President Omar al Bashir on two outstanding warrants for genocide in Darfur but are being politically prevented from doing their job.

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AU summit takes a star turn into controversy

Jean-Jacques Cornish — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 22:00:00 +0000

Preparations for the African Union summit on Sunday have taken a star turn with the arrival of humanitarian actress Angelina Jolie.
They’ve also been dogged with controversy as Sudanese President Omar al Bashir prepares to attend the continental gathering.
Angelina Jolie will be speaking on a panel at the Sandton Convention Centre on violence against women in conflict.
She’s been invited by AU Commission head Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma.
The actress who’s a special envoy of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says there’s a global epidemic of violence against women which can no longer be tolerated, and must be addressed. Every individual in society has a role to play in achieving this change.
Human rights watchdog groups are urging South Africa to meet its obligations as a signatory of the International Criminal Court if Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir arrives.
He’s been indicted by that court for alleged war crimes in Darfur and must be arrested by signatories of the Rome Statute. AU

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AU foreign minister meet ahead of summit

Jean-Jacques Cornish — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 22:00:00 +0000

African Union foreign ministers begin formal deliberations today ahead of the continental summit in Sandton starting on Sunday.
They’ve been involved in two days of talks behind closed doors, preparing the route for their leaders.
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Zimbabwe’s in the chair at this gathering where South Africa is the stand in host because Chad could not afford to do it.
So it will be Harare’s foreign minister Simbarasghe Mumbengegwi who presides.
All eyes will be African Union Commission head Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma who’ll be pushing her heritage projects – like making the AU more financially self sufficient – in the twilight of her first term in the driver’s seat.
Most of those eyes will be right here at home, wondering if she’s planning to return and plunge back into domestic politics.

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AU minister urged to deal with migration and xenophobia

Jean-Jacques Cornish — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 22:00:00 +0000

African Union Commission head Nosazana Dlamini Zuma has urged foreign ministers of the continent to formulate practical solutions to curbing xenophobia and the often deadly flight of people seeking a better left in Europe.
Opening the meeting of the African Executive Council at the Sandton Convention Centre, she said the problems are linked and can be dealt with by the AU plan for a secure and sustainable future for what she calls a very large island.
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Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma says African leaders must devise a home from which their people move because they wish to, not because they have to.
These leaders will gather in Sandton on Sunday to deliberate an agenda prepared for them by their minister who comprise the Executive Council now hard at work.
Xenophobia and the migration that has killed nearly 2 000 people crossing the Mediterranean to Europe will feature prominently in their deliberations.

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