Monday, December 25, 2006

The African Union's International Human Rights Day Statement; Summit to be Held in January 2007

MESSAGE OF H. E. MRS. JULIA DOLLY JOINER
COMMISSIONER FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS
ON THE OCCASION OF
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY
(10TH DECEMBER 2006)

Fifty-eight years ago on December 10, 1948, The General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations and called upon all Member Countries to publicise the Declaration and “to cause it to be disseminated, displayed, read and expounded principally in schools and other educational institutions, without distinction based on the political status of counties or territories.”

This Declaration has inspired several global and regional human rights instruments, including in particular, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights adopted in June 1981. Article 25 of the African Charter echoes one of the provisions of the Declaration and calls upon States Parities to the Charter to promote and ensure through teaching and publication, the respect of the rights and freedoms contained in the Charter and to see to it that these freedoms and rights as well as corresponding obligations are understood.

Today, 10 December 2006, International Human Rights Day, the international spotlight is on poverty: Fighting poverty a matter of obligation, not charity.

In observing the day, the African Union wishes to rededicate itself to upholding the standards enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as stipulated in objective (e) of its Constitutive Act: “to encourage international cooperation, taking due account of the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights”.

The African Union also wishes to reiterate its determination to take up the multifaceted challenges that confront our continent and peoples in the light of the social, economic and political changes taking place in the world.

Poverty is a human rights issue underscored by the fact that all human rights are universal, indivisible, interrelated, interdependent and mutually reinforcing and that all human rights must be treated in a fair and equal manner, on the same footing and with the same emphasis.

There should be no more excuse for our peoples to be poor, especially on this continent that is endowed with huge enormous resources. Poverty undermines our peoples’ dignity and deprives them of access to justice, health, and education, to name but a few.

The African Union is committed to achieving the Millennium Development Goals, which is evident in its Human Rights, Governance, HIV/AIDS, Food Security programs, among others, in fulfilment of the objectives of its Constitutive Act, which underscores respect for democratic principles, human rights, and the rule of law and good governance.

The establishment of specialised institutions and organs within the African Union aimed at promoting peace, social justice, the rule of law and consolidating human and peoples’ rights demonstrates the political will as well as the determination of African leaders and their peoples to make human rights central to combating poverty and ensuring respect for human dignity on the continent.

As we commemorate the 58th Anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, I would like to call upon the international community and our peoples, including community leaders, individuals, the media, civil society organisations to join the AU in its efforts to make poverty history and restore the human rights and dignity of our peoples. Poverty retards the development of our continent and the actualisation of the aspirations of the founders of the African Union for a united and prosperous Africa.

It is only through our collective efforts that we can achieve the Millennium Development Goals that we have set for ourselves by 2015 and in doing so realise our objective of eradicating poverty within our communities.

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MEDIA ADVISORY

For the 8th ordinary session of the conference
of the african union

Addis Ababa, November 14, 2006 - This is to bring to the attention of all the colleague journalists that the next Summit of the African Union will take place in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), as per the following schedule:

22-23 January 2007 : 13th ordinary session of the PRC.
25-26 January 2007  : 10th ordinary session of the Executive Council.
29-30 January 2007 : 8th ordinary session of the Conference of
the African Union.

The themes of the next Summit will be on:
Science, Technology and Scientific Research
Climate change in Africa.

The launching of 2007 as the African Football Year will also be discussed.

In this regard and in order to facilitate the procedures of accreditation, journalists who will have to come to Addis to cover the Summit are requested to apply for accreditation as per the following address:
Mrs. Habiba MEJRI-CHEIKH
Spokesperson
Head of Communication and Information
African Union Commission.

Tel off: (+251) 11 551 7700 ext. 236
Direct: (+251) 11 551 4555
Cell: (+251) 911 20 16 52
Fax: (+251) 11 551 1299
E-mail: habibam@africa-union.org
mejri-cheikh.habiba@hotmail.com
Web site: http://www.africa-union.org
Address: Africa Union. P.O. Box. 3243, Addis Ababa. Ethiopia.

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