[AU-Monitor] Is Accra set to reverse trend of elite African Union Summits?

[Hakima Abbas]

Ghanaian organisations lay plans for peoples participation in the  
June-July Summit
by Irungu Houghton and Desire Assogbavi
Thirty Ghanaian, regional and international faith-based, labour and  
advocacy organisations attended the “TEACH-IN WORKSHOP ON THE AFRICAN  
UNION:  UNDERSTANDING THE AFRICAN UNION AND SEIZING OPPORTUNITIES FOR  
CHANGE”.  Meeting on April 2nd in Accra, the organisations reviewed  
the African Union’s progress, discussed the proposal for continental  
government and generated plans for the forthcoming summit. The  
meeting was organised by the Ghanaian Poverty and Growth Forum, The  
Global Call to Action Against Poverty – Ghana and the Organisation of  
African Trade Unions and supported by Oxfam, ActionAid International  
and the UN Millennium Campaign. The Heads of CIDO at the African  
Union Commission and the AU desk at Ministry for Foreign Affairs also  
attended and spoke at the meeting.
Thirty Ghanaian, regional and international faith-based, labour and  
advocacy organisations attended the “TEACH-IN WORKSHOP ON THE AFRICAN  
UNION:  UNDERSTANDING THE AFRICAN UNION AND SEIZING OPPORTUNITIES FOR  
CHANGE”.  Meeting on April 2nd in Accra, the organisations reviewed  
the African Union’s progress, discussed the proposal for continental  
government and generated plans for the forthcoming summit. The  
meeting was organised by the Ghanaian Poverty and Growth Forum, The  
Global Call to Action Against Poverty – Ghana and the Organisation of  
African Trade Unions and supported by Oxfam, ActionAid International  
and the UN Millennium Campaign. The Heads of CIDO at the African  
Union Commission and the AU desk at Ministry for Foreign Affairs also  
attended and spoke at the meeting.
The organisations agreed to ensure that CSO voices and inputs on the  
proposal for Continental Government were recognised in final Assembly  
decisions.  They resolved to form a loose coalition led by a steering  
committee of 3-6 organisations (GPF, TUC, TWN, OATUU and GCAP)  
convened by The Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG). The  
steering committee will develop a work-plan leading up to the Summit,  
liaise formally with the AU and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and  
organise fora for key mass media, faith-based organisations,  
students, MPs and NGOs to discuss the Continental Government  
proposal. Other relevant policy coalitions, youth, students, women,  
faith-based organisations should be invited into the coalition.
For further information on Ghanaian CSO preparations for the Summit  
contact:
Dr. Emmanuel Akwetey, Executive Director
Email: eakwetey AT ideg.org
Copied to Hannah Opoku Gyamfi
Email: programs AT ideg-gh.org
Tel: +233-(0) 20-8303646

-------------------------------------
Hakima Abbas
Fahamu Networks for Social Justice
Policy Analyst - AU-Monitor
Email: hakima at fahamu.org
www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor

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