Is Accra Set to Reverse Trend of Elite African Union Summits?

Ghanaian organisations lay plans for peoples participation in the June-July Summit
by Irungu Houghton and Desire Assogbavi

Thirty Ghanaian, regional and international faith-based, labour and advocacy organisations attended the “Teach-in Workshop on the African Union: Understanding the African Union and Seizing Opportunities for Change”. Meeting on April 2nd in Accra, the organisations reviewed the African Union’s progress, discussed the proposal for continental government and generated plans for the forthcoming summit. The meeting was organised by the Ghanaian Poverty and Growth Forum, The Global Call to Action Against Poverty – Ghana and the Organisation of African Trade Unions and supported by Oxfam, ActionAid International and the UN Millennium Campaign. The Heads of CIDO at the African Union Commission and the AU desk at Ministry for Foreign Affairs also attended and spoke at the meeting.

The organisations agreed to ensure that CSO voices and inputs on the proposal for Continental Government were recognised in final Assembly decisions. They resolved to form a loose coalition led by a steering committee of 3-6 organisations (GPF, TUC, TWN, OATUU and GCAP) convened by The Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG). The steering committee will develop a work-plan leading up to the Summit, liaise formally with the AU and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and organise fora for key mass media, faith-based organisations, students, MPs and NGOs to discuss the Continental Government proposal. Other relevant policy coalitions, youth, students, women, faith-based organisations should be invited into the coalition.

For further information on Ghanaian CSO preparations for the Summit contact:
Dr. Emmanuel Akwetey, Executive Director
Email: eakwetey AT ideg.org

Copied to Hannah Opoku Gyamfi
Email: programs AT ideg-gh.org
Tel: +233-(0) 20-8303646

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