I would like to express my view on the Comment and Analysis column (Pambazuka News 165). The idea of facilitating the ECOSOCC process is great. More so that the AU has recognised the need for putting in place mechanisms that evoke peoples’ participation. This is best done through involvement of Civil Society Organisation (CSO) structures to engage with the AU. History has shown that Africa has been driven from a top-down approach in processes of decision-making. Experience shows that little consultation, or adequate information, reaches out to the people on whom decisions are made by their leaders. So this time around the involvement of the CSOs, as watchdogs, would go a long way in promoting development in a true democratic fashion.

However, the effectiveness of this engagement can only be realised if CSO’s are aware about this engagement and the parameters guiding the need for their involvement. The responsibility of creating this awareness still lies at the door of the AU to instruct its membership (member countries) to publicise this information and take steps to meet CSOs to demystify the ECOSOCC process.

Civil Society need to be oriented and information widely made available not only to the elite, but also made accessible to communities in their major country languages so that people's participation can be genuine and driven from a well informed position from the grassroots to CSOs and the table at the AU summit. Only then can the AU structure be more effective in a participatory process. Then the people of Africa can begin to determine their destiny. Member countries should make resources available for CSO orientation and empowerment to assume this critical role in the leadership of our continent. The AU secretariat should put a timeframe to this. As of now it should be immediate as CSOs are still groping in the dark on their role in this important democratic governance issue.