AU 42nd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council kicks off in Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa, February 15, 2023 (FBC) – The African Union 42nd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council kicked off today in the AU Headquarters, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The opening ceremony of the Executive Council Session commenced in the presence of the leadership and officials of the AU Commission, Ministers from the AU Member States, officials of AU organs and offices and partners.

During the opening of the session, the African Union Commission Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, Demeke Mekonnen, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Antonio Pedro, Acting Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), His Highness Prince Sheikh Shakhbut Bin NAHYAN Bin MUBARAK BIN NAHYAN, Secretary of State for African Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, José Manuel Albares, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain, and Madame Aissata Tall Sall, Chair of the Executive Council delivered opening remarks.

Under the theme “Acceleration of AfCFTA Implementation”, the 42nd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council is expected to consider the draft agenda, draft decisions and declarations with appropriate recommendations for consideration by the Heads of State and Government during their 36th Ordinary Session of the Assembly, scheduled to take place on 18 and 19 February 2023.

For two days, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs/External Relations and other ministers or authorities duly designated will deliberate on the different items on their agenda including: consideration of the Report of the 45th Ordinary Session of the Permanent Representatives’ Committee, held on 16-27 January 2023.

The Session will consider, among others, the Annual Report of the Union and its organs, Report on the operationalisation of Africa CDC, Progress report on the establishment and operationalisation of the Africa Medicines Agency (AMA), Annual report on the implementation of activities on the roadmap of the AU Theme of the year 2022 on nutrition, Consideration of the concept note and roadmap of the theme of the year 2023 “Acceleration of AFCFTA implementation”,  Report on the social and humanitarian situation (humanitarian situation and humanitarian agency), Evaluation report of the first-ten year implementation plan (FTYIP) and the development of the agenda 2063 second-ten year implementation plan (STYIP).

Among the high moments during the Executive Council Session will be the election of Two (2) Judges of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, election of Six (6) Members of the African Union Advisory Board Against Corruption, nomination of Three (3) Judges to the Administrative Tribunal of the African Union, and appointment of One (1) Member of the AU Board of External Auditors, for the Two-Year Term, 2022 and 2023.

By: Yonathan Yoseph