Tunisia Signs Four African Conventions in Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa — Four African conventions were signed on Sunday in Addis Ababa by Tunisia, on the sidelines of the 19th ordinary session of the African Union Summit held in the Ethipian capital July 15-16.

Caretaker President Moncef Marzouki signed the three following conventions aimed to favour Tunisia's African integration: the charter of African cultural revival, the African Union convention on the protection of and assistance to displaced people in Africa and the draft agreement providing for the statutes of the African Court of Justice and Human Rights.

Secretary of State for Arab, Maghreb and African Affairs Abdallah Triki signed, for his part, the African charter of statistics.

These conventions were signed as part of honouring the commitments made by President Marzouki at last January's summit under which Tunisia ratifies and supports the conventions it did not conclude with the AU.

Up to January 2011, Tunisia had ratified only 22 out of a total of 41 African conventions and draft agreements.

Source All Africa


Comment:
The African Union convention on the protection of and assistance to displaced people in Africa

The African Court of Justice and Human Rights

Given Mr De L'Estrac statement as new Head of the COI that the Indian Ocean need to have a greater say in the affairs of the world. Our statement that we have been doing this for the past 35 years under President FA Rene President - may be less so for the current government of President JA Michel.

We have stated that on behalf of Sechelles/Seychelles from exile/diaspora the 21,000 and the 25,000 or more - we used our "EU - French other European high mechanism to contribute/ identify, get ex Libya President Ghadaffi to take the Leader ship role against the West Opposition, EU, the USA fight/demand that OAU adopts most or similar Institutions as EU - to give Africa the same Suit as Europe." This is not a small statement or achievement - what it takes. What it requires. Seychelles be it its government and exile or diaspora have a special affiliation with the North African nations - its people, we have stressed this time and time again. The Francophone aspect of Seychelles past present and future and our role as exile. As African Union develop and progress this relation will develop and progress too.

Africa history of how it treats its son's and those who do great deed for them/it. How African Institutions and Leaders accommodate in International politic, diplomacy when it suits them and at whose expense. President Obama demand that a major mind set change take place in Africa to root out corruption.
The work/drive to get President Gaddafi to come on board was not the work of Seychelles government - it was the work of the exile and diaspora community.

Among the motives was so that under African Union as against OAU we could get some support and head way with our Exile and refugee, diaspora issues - those in Africa who refuse to recognize this.

The fact that we were able to do this since African Union existence the many instances and contributions and in put our exile/refugee and diaspora have made and is making.

We have added the issues of Tunisia signatory to the four protocols particularly the two listed above - those Sechelles Seychelles have signed or not sign. Still Seychelles government treat and hold the view there are non exile/refugee form Seychelles and there are no diaspora form Seychelles.

The question what is Africa going to do about such a blatant abuse and ignoring of the very protocol Seychelles government have signed. The Chinese have gifted the Seychelles a new National Assembly and they have the resource to monitor the Seychellois exile/refugee and diaspora working. The important issues it has impacted the great and might China. Next year 2013 the nation will have a new Palace of Justice - the good question is what standard of Justice. This particularly in regards to the exile and diaspora community. This in relation to the new Institutions African Union is setting up.

Then there is the Somali Pirate issues - the different approach of Mr Jean Ping and those who advised him and the important Center for Piracy in Seychelles.

"Having stated how we contributed importantly that Libya President Ghadaffi became importantly engage/took the leader ship that OAU became African Union - the same mechanism - those in African Union who know how it works and exist/function - belonging to the Seychellois exile/diaspora. This mechanism contributed and helped that the ex wife of President Zuma got elected as the first Female President of the African Union."

How many recall then world politic, economy, Terror Issues - most important the Sarkozy French Presidency and the Francophone Agenda. Most important President Sarkozy Med Basin Economic Union - the British major opposition to this concept at the EU. What about the important EU Imigration project for Africa - the Program to help millions young African return to Africa, with Jobs and financial support. Most important that Spanish - Morroco "Gibraltar Tunnel" the envisaged Program - building the railway/transport connectivity from Spain through the North African countries down to East Africa and linking to South Africa. The other rout/connection via West Africa. {"These were the highly important Agendas that got Mr Jean Ping to be elected and as such his Office and work - the terrible division between France and Britain over the Med Basin Union and in the end - President Sarkozy got drag/embroiled in a North African War/Revolution and all these Plan Program sent/set back some 10 years - including the EU Imigration program for Africa. Those in South Africa who knew very/perfectly well the Agenda and issues, reason for his election. "} Most important the very unstable politic and economic system of North Africa which has been set into place, with it affecting the world Economic working, development and global recovery. Africa media and world media knew perfectly well those great and highly significant Agendas. "We would have like to add the Agenda for African Monetary Union and single currency like the Euro - the near completion of the Alternative Global currency to replace the US Dollar - with the many events mention above this has been severly set back".

The Sechelles Seychelles exile/refugee could request for observer status of the African Union and fight that it be recognize.

Seychelles like Mauritius have a very unique role to play in the development of African Union Democracy given their unique heritage and mechanism. Both these mechanism is linked to the Seychellois exile/refugee movements - how they/it is manage. Until the formulation and founding of the African Union it was the Seychelles exile/refugee who managed a some what similar mechanism as Mauritius it their combine impacts. Independently how we the exile/refugee have use it to bring about a number of important democratic process and development to a number of OAU/African Union country. As such when any nation or their system/institutions become engage in such a process the due experience and you just do not forget - leave aside because the process in ongoing. Particularly those nations bordering the Indian Ocean.

For this reason PM Blair indirectly undertook/led about a number of high profile project and they were being driven by the Seychelles exile/refugee mechanism. The Africa Commission. The current Coalition government of Britain have a different agenda as that of the Labour government.

Until now we have address very little of the role of South Africa in the Madagascar political process - those in South Africa and Madagascar who know the issues - "that Seychelles exile/refugee - its Diaspora high mechanism impacting some of the greater issues" yet when it came to addressing our core issues meaning the exile, the diaspora - what led the South African Pinnacle in the first instant to get interested and become involve and events since.

It would be very wise of President J A Michel given that he cannot stand for election as President - and what follow after his departure may surprise very many - hence the time form him to start dialoguing with the exile/diaspora. Come two years from now and given the world economic, political functioning a more stabler Bridge would have been put into place to carry the safe continuity and what has been build and safeguard such achievements.



Source L'express mu

The Associated Press

La Sud-Africaine Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma a été élue, le dimanche 15 juillet 2012, présidente de la Commission de l''Union africaine, lors d'un sommet à Addis Abeba.

"Maintenant nous avons le président de la Commission de l'UA, Mme Zuma, qui va prendre les destinées de cette institution qui est notre bras opérationnel", a déclaré à la presse le chef d'Etat béninois Thomas Boni Yayiu, qui assure pour sa part pour un an la présidence tournante de l'UA.

La ministre sud-africaine de l'Intérieur, ancienne ministre des Affaires étrangères et ex épouse du chef de l'Etat Jacob Zuma, a été élue au quatrième tour de scrutin par les chefs d'Etat, au détriment du président sortant Jean Ping.

"Elle a eu 37 voix soit trois de plus que la majorité requise", a indiqué à l'AFP un haut responsable de l'UA s'exprimant sous couvert d'anonymat, un score confirmé par d'autres sources au sein de l'organisation.

Un précédent sommet de l'UA en janvier dernier avait échoué à départager M. Ping et Mme Dlamini-Zuma, ouvrant de profondes divisions au sein de l'institution continentale, notamment entre pays francophones et anglophones. M. Ping avait alors été reconduit à titre provisoire dans ses fonctions.

Mme Dlamini-Zuma, 63 ans, est la première femme et le premier responsable anglophone à diriger la principale institution de l'UA depuis que cette organisation a succédé en 2002 à l'Organisation de l'unité africaine (OUA).

La ministre sud-africaine est arrivée en tête aux trois premiers tours de scrutin, le dimanche 15 juillet 2012, devant M. Ping, sans toutefois réunir la majorité requise de deux-tiers des voix. Seule candidate en lice au quatrième tour, elle a alors obtenu 37 voix, soit trois de plus que la majorité des deux-tiers des délégations, qui était de 34 voix.

"L'Afrique a parlé d'une seule voix. Il n'y a pas eu de perdant ni de gagnant. C'est l'Afrique toute entière qui a gagné", a assuré à la presse M. Boni Yayi.

Les présidents anglophones étaient cependant particulièrement enthousiastes en sortant de la salle de réunion. "Cela signifie énormèment pour l'Afrique (...) pour le continent, pour l'unité, et pour le pouvoir des femmes", a affirmé M. Zuma à la presse.

Mme Dlamini-Zuma "est une combattante de la liberté, pas une bureaucrate ni un diplomate", a assuré, rayonnant, le président ougandais Yoweri Museveni.

"C'est une bonne chose pour l'Afrique australe. Nous (en Afrique australe) n'avions jamais eu ce poste", se félicitait, tout sourire, un membre de la délégation du Zimbabwe auprès de l'AFP.

S'exprimant avant son élection, Mme Dlamini-Zuma avait minimisé les risques de division, estimant que "le continent est suffisamment fort pour ne pas être fissuré par une élection entre deux personnes".

Elle s'était également efforcé d'apaiser les craintes d'une main-mise de l'Afrique du Sud, la locomotive économique du continent, sur l'organisation. "L'Afrique du Sud ne va pas déménager à Addis pour venir diriger l'Union africaine, ce sera Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, si je gagne, qui viendra ici, pas l'Afrique du Sud", a-t-elle déclaré.

Les précédents présidents de la Commission ont été l'Ivoirien Amara Essy (2002-2003) puis le Malien Alpha Oumar Konaré (2003-2008), avant l'élection de M. Ping en 2008.

Source L'express mu

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma will have her work cut out for her as she works to heal rifts across Africa, while trying to improve AU "service delivery".

Her election to the post of African Union commissioner has been hailed as a victory for South Africa, for SADC and for women, and her new position has been described as the most powerful in the AU. But analysts have warned of the dangers of overstating the role Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma will play at the AU.

"There is a misconception as we embrace this national celebratory mood. We over-exaggerate," said Shadrack Gutto, professor of African Renaissance Studies at Unisa. "This is a SADC nominee ... this is an elected person who is now the servant of all Africans."

Gutto said it was important to not create the expectation that Dlamini-Zuma's new role would position South Africa as some sort of "governer" of Africa. "She's not going there to push a South African agenda but an agreed agenda of the union," he said.

Thomas Wheeler, a research associate at the South African Institute of International Affairs, agreed, saying it was necessary to distinguish between South Africa as a member of the AU and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, an official of the AU who happens to be a South African leader. "She will always be associated with South Africa but her persona, profile and existence is now as president of the AU Commission, and she has nothing to do with South Africa [in that role]," he said.

"If she does her job properly she won't be taking instruction from Pretoria, she'll take it from the membership of the organisation and the AU," he said.

Source Mail and Guardian

President James Michel addresses 19th Assembly of the AU

‘Islands crucial to ease Africa’s link with world’

Africa’s islands are critical to facilitate the link between the continent and the rest of the world, as well as among its different states, President James Michel has said.

President Michel (second left, front row) at the 19th Assembly of the African Union

Addressing the 19th Assembly of the African Union in Addis Ababa at the weekend, President Michel called for more attention to be given to Africa’s ocean and its islands, adding that problems such as piracy came about because of Africa’s lack of capacity and political will to secure this oceanic space.

“It is time that Africa redefines its relationship with its oceans. Our oceanic space is currently not given enough attention. Piracy profits from the fact that we, as African governments, have not done enough to secure this developmental space,” the President remarked.

The President added that while most efforts for regional and continental integration had brought about tangible infrastructure in terms of roads or bridges, there was not enough done to connect Africa through its oceans, and its islands, the guardians of these maritime highways.

“We will not succeed fully …… if we fail to harness the true potential of our oceans to connect us, to connect us with each other, and to connect us to other continents. Africa’s islands are critical to facilitate these connections.”

The President said that the potential of Africa’s ocean was boundless, but in the majority this wealth was exploited by external parties: “It is OUR wealth. We must work together to ensure that we are the ones to mobilise it for the benefit of our children.”

The President cited the example of the recent ground breaking agreement between Seychelles and Mauritius on a shared extended continental shelf as an illustration of states working together to mobilise the true potential of the ‘blue economy’.

The Seychelles delegation at the assembly also took the opportunity to call for an acceleration of the process to resolve the crisis in Madagascar through full implementation of the SADC Roadmap.

As chair of the Indian Ocean Commission, President Michel called on all partners to strengthen the support to Madagascar to prepare the way for free and fair elections to mark the conclusion of the crisis.

The President stated that Seychelles was seizing the moment to re-engage with the African Union, to contribute towards a second liberation for Africa - that of ‘true economic liberation’.

As part of this process, the Seychelles government has announced its decision to open an embassy in Addis Ababa.


Source Seychelles Nation

Seychelles and South Africa’s leaders in bilateral talks

President James Michel and his South African counterpart, President Jacob Zuma, have held bilateral discussions on the margins of the 19th session of the Assembly of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

President Michel seen here with President Zuma in Addis AbabaPresident Michel has hailed South Africa as a key player to ensure the development of the ‘blue economy’ in the southern Indian Ocean, and the two countries are looking to develop a maritime partnership based on shared security, development of ports and maritime trade as well as further enhancing tourism based development in the region.

President Michel thanked President Zuma for his leadership within SADC (Southern African Development Community) and for his support for the principle of specific infrastructure projects that are aimed at benefitting the maritime and island member states.

“We appreciate the support of South Africa for the principle that we, as Africans, need to give more attention to our oceans as spaces for development. African islands such as Seychelles can play a key role in this development,” President Michel said.

The two leaders also discussed the challenge posed by the scourge of piracy and they both expressed their determination to increase the cooperation between the two countries on this matter with a view to enhancing the capacity of African states to provide security in their own waters.

Ongoing efforts to bring stability to Madagascar in the context of the implementation of the SADC roadmap was also discussed by the two leaders.

President Michel thanked President Zuma for South Africa’s dynamic leadership at the head of the SADC Troika on Peace and Security and for overseeing the mediation process on this issue, while President Zuma also noted that the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) should play an important role as an organisation of proximity to Madagascar.

President Michel reiterated the support of the IOC for the implementation of the roadmap and stated that the IOC was willing to provide support in any way possible for the way forward.
Seychelles currently holds the presidency of the IOC.

The two leaders agreed to maintain a high level of consultation on this issue and to move as quickly as possible to a resolution of the situation as the socio-economic conditions in Madagascar continue to worsen.

President Michel led the Seychelles delegation to the African Union summit, following Seychelles’ return to the organisation after regularising its arrears with the organisation at the end of 2010.

Source Seychelles Nation

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, ancienne chef de la diplomatie sud-africaine (1999 à 2009) et ministre des Affaires intérieures sud-africaine, a été élue ce dimanche 15 juillet à la tête de la Commission de l’Union Africaine face à M. Jean Ping‏. C’est la première femme à être président de la Commission de l’UA. Mais c’est aussi le premier président de la Commission de l’UA qui soit issu d’un pays d’Afrique anglophone. Docteur en médecine, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma a été une combattante de l’apartheid au sein de l’ANC, avant d’avoir été diplomate ou fonctionnaire.

Agée de 63 ans, la nouvelle présidente de la Commission de l’UA promet que le continent ne sera pas « bipolarisé » et que des réformes seront développées au sein de l’institution.

Le président sortant Jean Ping qui a reconnu sa défaite s’est déclaré prêt à coopérer avec la nouvelle patronne de l’organisation. Dlamini Zuma promet de rendre la commission plus efficace et plus opérationnelle dans le règlement des conflits sur le continent. Des observateurs présents à la réunion indiquent que plusieurs dossiers brulants attendent la nouvelle présidente de la Commission de l’UA.

On parle entre autres du dossier malien, de la tension entre la République Démocratique du Congo et son voisin le Rwanda mais aussi de l’épineux problème entre le Soudan et son voisin du sud...

Dlamini Zuma décroche le poste de président de la Commission de l’UA à l’issue d’une bataille sans précédent. Elle a poussé vers la sortie le précédent président de la Commission, Jean Ping, 69 ans, qui était candidat à sa succession, après six mois de lutte en coulisses et quatre nouveaux tours de scrutins dimanche 15 juillet à Addis Abeba. Elle a arraché les voix de 37 délégations, soit trois de plus que la majorité requise des deux-tiers, après avoir devancé Jean Ping lors des trois précédents tours.

« Il n’y a pas eu de perdant ni de gagnant. C’est l’Afrique toute entière qui a gagné », a insisté le président béninois Thomas Boni Yayi, président en exercice de l’UA pour un an. En réponse aux inquiétudes des uns et des autres, Dlamini Zuma a déclaré : « L’Afrique du Sud ne va pas déménager à Addis-Abeba pour venir diriger l’Union africaine », rassurant ainsi l’opinion francophone.

Recueilli par Bill

Source Madagascar Tribune