Nkoana-Mashabane to attend AU Executive Council meeting

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Pretoria - International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane will attend the 15th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Executive Council in Sirte, Libya on Sunday.

According to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, the three-day Executive Council will precede the AU Summit scheduled for 1-3 July where President Jacob Zuma will lead the South African delegation.

The AU Executive Council of Ministers Meeting will deliberate on a range of issues which will cover administrative, legal and institutional, political, economic and cultural matters and assess the implementation of programmes of the AU ahead of the AU Summit.

In Sirte, the AU Executive Council, meeting under the Theme "Investing in Agriculture for Economic Growth and Food Security" is expected to table a Draft Declaration on investing in agriculture, to the Heads of State which will include a programme of action.

Other issues for discussion during the forthcoming AU Executive Council will include tabling a Report to the Heads of the 12th Extraordinary Session of the Executive Council on the Implementation of Decision Assembly on the Transformation of the African Union Commission into the African Union Authority.

"It will discuss the Progress Report of the AU Commission on the Implementation of Decision of the Assembly on the Abuse of the Principle of Universal Jurisdiction as adopted by the 12th Ordinary Session of the Assembly," the department said.

The Council will also deliberate on the Progress Report of the AU Commission on the Implementation of Assembly Decision on the Hissene Habre Case as adopted by the 12th Ordinary Session of the Assembly.

"The Report of the AU Commission on the Meeting of African States Parties to the Rome Statute on the International Criminal Court (ICC) will also be discussed as well as the Report of the AU Peace and Security Council, which will cover extensively progress to date on Continental issues relating to peace and security," according to the department.

Upon conclusion of the deliberations, the Executive Council is expected to present its outcomes report to the Assembly for consideration and adoption.