AU Monitor: Issue 116, 2007

Wed Dec 12 23:20:23 GMT 2007

*Issue 116, 2007-Weekly Roundup*
**
This week's AU Monitor brings you news and updates from the African Union.*
*AU Commissioner for Social Affairs Bience Gawanas calls for a collective
effort in addressing drug trafficking and related
crimes<http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/AUMONITOR/comments/553/>,
referring to them as "human security and development issues that should be
addressed if the AU was to achieve its objectives". Further, the One World
Trust has profiled the African Union in its Global Accountability
Report<http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/AUMONITOR/comments/557/>,
with findings based on public information.

*In other AU news, Mrs Julia Dolly Joiner, Commissioner for Political
Affairs of the African Union Commission, delivers a message to commemorate
the 59th annual International Human Rights
Day<http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/AUMONITOR/comments/558/>.
*
**
The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) and the Spanish
Government are calling for proposals under the NEPAD-Spanish
Fund<http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/AUMONITOR/comments/556/>,
an initiative intended to "empower African women by unlocking their economic
potential, fight poverty and close gender gaps".

African Leaders who gathered at the recent Africa-EU Summit in Lisbon,
Portugal have stated that their aim for building ties with Europe is not to
seek charity <http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/AUMONITOR/comments/554/>but
to increase Africa's role in the global economy and build a
partnership
based on common interest and mutual respect. At the Summit's opening
session, AU Chairman Alpha Konare stated "Africa doesn't want charity or
paternalism. We don't want anyone doing things for us. We want to play in
the global economy, but with new rules." In other Summit news, African Heads
of State refused to accept the EU's proposed economic partnership agreements
(EPA) <http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/AUMONITOR/comments/555/>, instead
agreeing to interim trade agreements until an alternative is devised.
 Finally,
members of both Parliaments expressed 'surprise and disappointment' that Darfur
was not on the agenda for the
Summit<http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/AUMONITOR/comments/551/>attended
by Heads of States.
The legislators and campaigners urge leaders to make the protection of
civilians from conflict a top priority of an African-EU cooperation.

In regional news, the Zambezi Basinwide Stakeholders Forum concluded that local
communities should be given more possibilities to
participate<http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/AUMONITOR/comments/552/>in
the decision-making processes regarding natural resources such as
water.
Further, The South African Development Community (SADC)
Tribunal<http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/comments/560/>is set to
deliver judgment of a pivotal case in which a white Zimbabwean
commercial farmer is challenging the legality of the country's land reform
program.
**
In peace and security news, a recent conference on human security and armed
violence reduction in
Africa<http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/AUMONITOR/comments/549/>was
convened in South Africa in order to "examine Africa's research
capability in the context of increasing global security challenges".  At the
close of the conference, participants called on the AU to spearhead the use
of research into policy formulation at all levels. * *Further*, *a group of
elder world leaders<http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/AUMONITOR/comments/550/>have
joined together to offer their insight and wisdom on global
challenges.
Reporting from Darfur, the group of elders compiled a list of
recommendations to ensure peace and an immediate ceasefire in the region.
**

In other peace and security news, the deployment of the EU Force
(EUFOR)<http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/AUMONITOR/comments/548/>to
protect aid workers and civilians in Chad and the Central African
Republic has been placed on hold, due to disagreements between EU countries.

Finally, Festus Aboagye analyzes reasons behind the Western world's push for
African 'home-grown'
peacekeeping<http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/comments/559/>,
suggesting that the West mobilizes resources for conflicts when it serves
its interests most. Aboagye adds that "the 'real' reason why the West has
not been able to participate directly in regional peacekeeping is because of
commitments towards the war on terror."
**
**
*SADC Tribunal Hears First Case*

(PANA)-The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Tribunal will
Thursday deliver judgment in a landmark case in which a white Zimbabwean
commercial farmer is challenging the legality of that country's land reform
programme.

*Read more: *www.aumonitor.org/comments/560/

* *

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*'Home Grown' African Peacekeeping*

* *

Festus Aboagye (ISS Today)-Since 2003 the drive towards the establishment of
an African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) or an African Peace and
Security Mechanism (APSM) has become a common topic of discourse in
political, diplomatic, security and academic circles within Africa and the
wider international community. Of all the different elements of the
post-cold war architecture, the drive towards the establishment of the
African Standby Force (ASF) is undoubtedly the most well known. But, in
contrast with the level of public knowledge about the APSA, it is not so
certain that the fundamental reasons for the need for this architecture,
especially its critical elements, are as well understood.

*Read more:* www.aumonitor.org/comments/559

* *
**
*International Human Rights Day*

*Message from H.E. Mrs Julia Dolly Joiner, Commissioner for Political
Affairs, African Union Commission, On the Occassion of International Human
Rights Day (10th December 2007):*

The African Union joins the United Nations to commemorate International
Human Rights Day. The day was first observed on 10th December 1948, when a
new code of conduct, was adopted by the world body, as a common standard of
achievement for all peoples and all nations of the world, in order to ensure
that never again shall any member of the human family suffer the ills of
oppression and poverty.

*Read more:* www.aumonitor.org/comments/558

* *
**
*AU Accountability Profile*

* *

The One World Trust has released its 2007 Global Accountability Report in
which it profiles the African Union:
AU_accountability_profile.pdf<http://www.pambazuka.org/actionalerts/images/uploads/AU_accountability_profile.pdf>.
The findings are based on public information since the AU did not formally
engage in the process.

* *

*Read more:* www.aumonitor.org/comments/557

**
*NEPAD Calls For Women's Empowerment*

* *

(BuaNews)-The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) has made a
second call for proposals under the NEPAD-Spanish Fund for Empowerment of
Women.

*Read more:* www.aumonitor.org/comments/556

*Leaders Refuse EU Trade Deal*

* *

Sholain Govender (BuaNews)- Most African leaders have stood together at the
2nd European Union (EU)-Africa Summit and refused to accept the EU´s
proposed Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) signing instead interim
trade agreements.**

* *

*Read more: *www.aumonitor/org/comments/555

**
*"We Don't Need Charity"*

(This Day)-African leaders who gathered in Lisbon, Portugal for a summit
with their colleagues from the European Union yesterday said their aim is
not to seek charity but for their countries to be allowed to become major
players in the global economy.

* *

*Read more: *www.aumonitor.org/comments/554**

* *

*AU Action Against Drug Trafficking*

* *

(PANA)-Africa's ambitions of integrating and promoting its values in a world
of disparities would be unattainable unless the scourge of illicit drugs
abuse and trafficking was tackled head-on and in a collective effort, a
senior official of the African Union (AU) said here Thursday.

*Read more:* www.aumonitor.org/comments/553

**
*Development in Southern Africa*

Miriam Mannak (IPS)-Local communities in Southern Africa should be given a
greater opportunity to participate in initiatives for the management and
conservation of natural resources such as water. This was one of the main
conclusions of the third Zambezi Basinwide Stakeholders Forum, held recently
in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

*Read more:* www.aumonitor.org/comments/552

*Turning their Backs on Darfur*

* *

Over forty members of African and European Parliaments have today (Friday)
expressed 'surprise and disappointment' that the crisis in Darfur is not on
the agenda for the EU-Africa Summit that begins in Lisbon this weekend.

*Read more:** *www.aumonitor.org/comments/551

**
*Elders Report from Darfur*

Convened on July 18, 2007, in South Africa by Nelson Mandela, Graça Machel,
and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The Elders include 10 other world leaders who
have joined together to confront seemingly intractable crises and to share
their wisdom on global challenges.

*Read more:* www.aumonitor.org/comments/550

**
*Research, Armed Violence, and Policy*

* *

Nelson Alusala (ISS)-The recent conference on human security and the state
of research and practice on arms control and armed violence reduction in
Africa, held in Cape Town from 26 to 28 November underscored the increasing
need to link research and policy in Africa, especially in the field of human
security. The conference brought together experts and researchers from
across the world, all with experience in Africa, to examine Africa's
research capability in the context of increasing global security challenges.
At the conclusion of the conference the clear to African policy makers was:
"Ignore research at your own peril, since a society that does not understand
itself does not care about its future!"**

*Read more:* www.aumonitor.org/comments/549

*EUFOR Delayed*

IRIN—The 4,500-strong European force expected to start arriving in Chad and
the Central African Republic in November to protect aid workers and some
500,000 displaced civilians is on hold for now. The force, known as EUFOR,
currently consists of 23 military personnel holed up in a hotel in Chad's
capital N'djamena, 700 km west of the conflict zone.

*Read more:* www.aumonitor.org/comments/548

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-- 
Selome Araya
Consultant Project Coordinator
AU- Monitor
aumonitor.editor at gmail.com

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