AU Monitor: Issue 117, 2007

Wed Dec 19 18:04:44 GMT 2007

*Issue 117, 2007: Weekly Roundup*

**

This week's AU Monitor brings you updates from the African Union, whereas
the Commission announces the launching of its 'Panel of the
Wise'<http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/AUMONITOR/comments/568/>,
five eminent regional personalities chosen to advise the Peace and Security
Council on conflict prevention and peace promotion matters in Africa.
Further, the AU and the League of Arab States held their third consultative
meeting to brainstorm on the Revitalization of the Afro-Arab
Cooperation<http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/comments/564/>and
devise concrete activities for the Afro-Arab Development Forum in
2008.
Lastly, Participants of the recent EU-Africa Summit present the Lisbon
Declaration <http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/comments/562/> and resolve
to "build a new strategic political partnership for the future, overcoming
the traditional donor-recipient relationship and building on common values
and goals in our pursuit of peace and stability, democracy and rule of law,
progress and development".

**

In economic news, African countries are succumbing to pressure from the
European Commission<http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/AUMONITOR/comments/569/>,
signing interim economic trade pacts that are said to fragment regional
integration. Also, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa
(Comesa) is expressing its
criticism<http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/AUMONITOR/comments/570/>after
the East African Community (EAC) signed an interim economic
partnership agreement (EPA) with the EU, stating that the EAC is "dividing
Africa and undermining the continent's integration efforts".  Lastly, as
criticism grows, the EAC is facing "political
seclusion",<http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/AUMONITOR/comments/567/>but
defends itself by saying the interim agreements with the EU were
signed
to "avoid disruption of trade between the two blocs".

As preparations are being made to transition the African Mission in Sudan
(AMIS) to UNAMID <http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/comments/571/> as the
peacekeeping force in the region, the groups are attempting to clarify what
the functions of various AU mechanisms will be following the shift.

In other peace and security news, the Institute for Security Studies
analyses the efforts in establishing the African Peace and Security
Architecture (APSA<http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/AUMONITOR/comments/565/>),
highlighting the setbacks of other African peacekeeping efforts and
reframing the discussion on homegrown security tactics.

In climate-related news, the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP)
alliance expressed frustration at the lack of binding agreements arising
from the UN Climate Change Conference in
Bali<http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/AUMONITOR/comments/566/>.
GCAP Campaign Manager Irfan Mufti says "The US has acted like a playground
bully in these crucial negotiations" and delaying the development of an
agreement on stringent binding emission targets will disproportionately
affect the world's poorest people. Further, the UN Economic Commission for
Africa (ECA) has announced plans for its African Centre for Climate Policy
Studies <http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/AUMONITOR/comments/561/> to
provide African countries with the capacity to respond to climate-related
concerns in the framework of development policies.

Lastly, EU agricultural ministers have finally adjusted their sugar pricing
rules to adhere to global frameworks, abolishing subsidies that are expected
to benefit African sugarcane
producers<http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/AUMONITOR/comments/563/>.

*AMIS Transition to UNAMID*

(PANA)-The AU-UN Joint Special Representative and AMIS Head of Mission,
Mr.Rodolphe Adada and the Assistant to Sudanese President on Darfur, Dr .
Nafie Ali Nafie, Monday reviewed the preparations for the transition of
authority from the African Mission in Sudan (AMIS) to UNAMID.

*Read more: *www.aumonitor.org/comments/571

* *

*COMESA Censures EAC*

Steve Mbogo (Business Daily)-East Africa's signing of an interim trade pact
with Europe has come under heavy criticism for dividing Africa as well as
undermining the continent's integration efforts. The Common Market for
Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) Secretary- General Erastus Mwencha
speaks to the Business Daily on the sticking issues.**

* *

*Read more:** *www.aumonitor.org/comments/570

**
*EPA Pressure*

Aileen Kwa (IPS)-''We succumbed,'' lamented a diplomat from Namibia. ''We
signed on the 12th of December. The pressure was too much. The private
sector felt that they would be disproportionately affected. In terms of
markets, they would be losing access for beef, grapes, fish and fish
products.''

*Read more:* www.aumonitor.org/comments/569

**
*Panel of the Wise*

* *

(PANA)-The Commission of the African Union (AU) will Tuesday launch a
five-member 'Panel of the Wise' to support the efforts of the Peace and
Security Council (PSC) in conflict prevention on the continent, it was
officially announced here Monday.

*Read more:* www.aumonitor.org/comments/568

**
*EAC Under Fire*

Allan Odhiambo (Business Daily)-The East African Community is fighting a
rare battle against 'political seclusion' just weeks after it signed a new
trade deal with the European Union in a bid to beat an end-of-year World
Trade Organisation deadline.

*Read more:* www.aumonitor.org/comments/567

*Bully Tactics in Bali*

* *

Press Release—The Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) alliance,
representing millions in over 110 countries, expresses deep frustration at
the lack of binding agreements arising from the UN Climate Change Conference
in Bali which ended today, despite the last minute agreement on a roadmap.

*Read more:* www.aumonitor.org/comments/566

**
*Peace and Security Architecture*

* *

(ISS Today)-Progress and success in the efforts towards the establishment of
the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) have been mixed. The
first notes of progress and success certainly relate to the bold
constitutional provisions for the right of intervention by the African
Union, something that was unimaginable during the first generation of
continental integration when the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) charter
principles of sovereign equality, non-interference in the affairs of member
states and the pacific settlement of disputes were held as political
articles of faith. Another important step is the establishment of the
African Union's Peace and Security Council, which has the African Standby
Force as its operational instrument. This contrasts starkly with the OAU's
Central Organ that lacked the capacity to implement its decisions relating
to peacekeeping interventions.

*Read more: *www.aumonitor.org/comments/565

**
*Increased Afro-Arab Cooperation*

(Press Release)-The African Union (AU) and the League of Arab States (LAS)
are meeting from the 14th to the 16th December 2007, at the headquarters of
the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to hold their Third
Inter-secretariat Consultative Meeting with a view to reinforcing the
cooperation ties existing between the two institutions.

*Read more: *www.aumonitor.org/comments/564

**
*Subsidies Boost Sugar Producers*

Ben Zwinkels (AfricaNews)—The European Union agriculture ministers have
recently agreed to cut the prices offered to European sugar farmers by 36
percent, bringing the European Union sugar rules into line with global
frameworks. African sugarcane producers are among the first beneficiaries.

*Read more:* www.aumonitor.org/comments/563

* *

* *

*Lisbon** Declaration*

* *

EU - Africa Summit (Lisbon, 8-9 December, 2007)

The Lisbon Summit, bringing together the European Union and Africa, has
offered us a unique opportunity jointly to address the common contemporary
challenges for our continents, in the year that we celebrate the 50th
anniversary of the European integration and the 50th anniversary of the
beginning of the independence of Africa.

*Read more: *www.aumonitor.org/comments/562

**
*African Climate Policy Studies*

(PANA)-The UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has announced plans to
set up an African Centre for Climate Policy Studies to provide member states
with analytical work and capacity for mainstreaming climate-related concerns
in the framework of development policies, strategies and plans.

*Read more:* www.aumonitor.org/comments/561

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

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