AUC Launches the AU Agenda 2063 Website  

Addis Ababa- Within the framework of Agenda 2063, (a 50 year development framework for Africa), the Agenda 2063 Website was officially launched at a press conference today, 3^rd of September 2013 by Ambassador Jean-Baptiste Natama, Chief of Staff of the African Union Commission (AUC).

The Chief of Staff, in his opening remarks stated that the website,http://agenda2063.au.int/ is part of the participatory and inclusive approach by the Commission to allow each and every African to contribute towards the definition of Agenda.

Ambassador Natama highlighted that the website was created because of the need to define a common vision for the continent. He recalled that many previous initiatives to address challenges faced by the continent did not have ownership from the stakeholders. This is why the AUC adopted the participatory approach using new technology to reach the maximum number of Africans and to get their views and inputs. “The expectation is that Africans will feel that they own the process through their participation and will be more committed to implementing the agenda”, the Chief of Staff added. In this respect, he encouraged all Africans to make proposals through the website to ensure agenda 2063 is successfully implemented.

He also revealed that, in preparing for the launch of Agenda 2063, that several consultations had been held with different stakeholders such as civil society, gender, private sector, and media. This statement was echoed by the AUC Director of Strategic Policy Planning, Monitoring Evaluation and Resource Mobilization, Mr Mandla M. Madonsela, who also announced that further consultations are scheduled to take place with technical experts, academics and the private sector. The final Agenda 2063 document will be considered by the AU policy organs in January 2014 and a final presentation is slated for June of the same year. It is expected, he added, that, once Agenda 2063 is finalized, that all other actors such as Regional Economic Communities and member states will integrate elements of the agenda into their development plans.

The website was unveiled and explained to the media by Mrs. Christiane Y. Matondo, Principal Communication Officer, assisted by Mr Michael Fikre, the website designer. Later, the media personnel were treated to a more in depth tutorial on the different aspects of the website. They also made proposals towards its improvement. The press conference, which was moderated by Mrs Wynne Musabayana- Deputy Head of Communication and Information, was also attended by Professor Emmanuel Nnadozie of the Economic Commission for Africa and Amb Febe Potgieter- Advisor to the Chairperson of the African Union Commission.

EOJ/WZM

Smeared for Uncovering Corruption in Azerbaijan

Someone placed a hidden camera in Khadija Ismayilova’s bedroom. They recorded her, planning to blackmail her and force her to give up reporting. She is, after all, one of the few Azerbaijani journalists who still have the courage to do hard hitting investigative work. While threats from thugs convince other journalists to self-censor, Khadija has reported extensively on government corruption – all the way up to the family of the autocratic president, Ilham Aliyev, himself the son of the country’s former president and former KGB general.

I’ve known Khadija for five years and I call her my friend. I doubt it was a coincidence that the sexually explicit video of Khadija and her boyfriend surfaced soon after the American broadcaster CNBC aired a segment entitled “Filthy Rich.” It explored President Aliyev’s family’s Dubai real estate holdings – including nine homes worth tens of millions owned by his pre-teen grandson. Khadija had consulted for the report.

That video of Khadija – posted by a fake news website that pretended to be connected with an opposition party – put her in physical danger.

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