Commissioner Tumusiime receives UN-OCHA representative to the AU

Addis Ababa, April 2014 – Her Excellency Tumusiime Rhoda Peace, Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture on Thursday 24 April 2014 received Mrs. Janine M. Cooper, the   United Nations Organization for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA) Representative to the African Union at her office in the AU Commission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The two parties discussed issues pertaining to the AU Year of Agriculture and Food Security and focused more on issues of building resilience and reducing vulnerability especially in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel Region given the persisting climate change and disaster risks.

The Commissioner highlighted the relevant programmes of the AU including the Climate for Development in Africa (ClimDev Africa), the Monitoring of Environment for Security in Africa (MESA), the African Risk Capacity (ARC) and the Great Green wall for the Sahara and Sahel as being areas of greater emphasis.

They agreed to do coordinate their efforts more closely to heighten advocacy, information sharing and raising public awareness, at various fora and in collaboration with multiple stakeholders and partners to ensure that drought and food humanitarian emergencies are minimized on the continent through enhancing preparedness and building resilience.  

They also agreed to expedite the process of renewing the existing Memorandum of Understanding between UNOCAHA and the AUC’s Departments of Rural Economy and Agriculture and Political Affairs.

Mrs. Janine M. Cooper is also Chair of the UN Liaison Team that is working closely with the AU Commission on multiple areas of mutual interest including the preparations for the commemoration of 2014 the AU Year of Agriculture and Food Security.