The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)
Orton Kiishweko
10 September 2008
President Jakaya Kikwete yesterday launched in Dar es Salaam the permanent general assembly, an advisory organ of the African Union (AU).
The AU chair officially launched the Economic, Social and Cultural Council of the African Union (ECOSOCC) whose process to set up started nine years ago.
President Kikwete, who was then Foreign Affairs minister, said the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) that transformed into African Union (AU), had assigned African foreign ministers the task of drafting a Constructive Act that later established ECOSOCC.
Mr Kikwete said it was the first time an institution like the AU that began as an inter governmental organisation, had incorporated non-state actors as full partners in policy making.
Mr Kikwete said its launch and the holding of its inaugural session was a milestone in the development of the institutional framework of the AU.
It is set to be the civil society voice at the AU fora. It formation follows the endorsement by the AU heads of state summit in Egypt last July. Its is made up of elected representatives of civil organisations of the member states.
President Kikwete said the Constructive Act is designed to be a partnership between governments and all civil society in Africa.
"The civil society on the continent will now have a formal forum where their voices could be heard and considered." Mr Kikwete said.
The AU chairperson encouraged ECOSSOC to set out its priorities and start implementing them immediately.
He however, disagreed with outgoing ECOSSOC presiding officer Noble Laureate, Prof Maathai Wangari on the council statute that binds all civil organisations to have at least 50 per cent external funding as a requirement to join.
One of sections of the ECOSOCCC statutes requires civil organisations to have 50 per cent financial self-reliance.
President Kikwete noted that it was a worthwhile requirement as a means to check influence peddling from the donors in Africa's affairs.
Nevertheless, Prof Wangari said it was understandable that the reality on the ground for many civil organisations were different as many received financial support from outside the continent.
The newly elected council presiding officer, Mr Akere Muna, maintained that the requirement had to remain to avoid 'strings attached' conditions from external donors.
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