The AU Summit, Corona Virus, and more
Dear RegionWeek Reader,
The 33rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union opened this last Sunday at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The meeting which will run from the 9th to 10th February is being held under the 2020 theme of the year, “Silencing the Guns: Creating Conducive Conditions for Africa’s Development.
The AU Commission (AUC) Chairperson Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat speaking on the theme of the summit emphasized the need for solidarity among Africa countries if the continent is to achieve its goals for peaceful and secure Africa, noting that “the deficit of solidarity is one of the big weaknesses of the system of resistance and Africa’s overall capacities for continental resilience.
The UN Secretary-General Mr. Antonio Guterres spoke on the importance of including women and youth in Africa’s peace initiatives. He said that “Peace, social cohesion and sustainable development require women’s contribution and leadership. Women clearly have an essential role to play in conflict prevention and political transitions”, he said.
Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledges $10M towards capacity building at African Union Commission to advance gender equality, trade, security & integration. "As I have seen in my cabinet, having many women in leadership positions leads to better decisions," he said
The Bureau of the Assembly of the African Union for 2020 was announced during the Assembly: Chair - South Africa; Vice-Chair - Democratic Republic of Congo; Second Vice Chair - Mali; 3rd Vice-Chair - Kenya; Rapporteur- Egypt. It was also announced the Democratic Republic of Congo will be the Chair of the Union in 2021.
In their sessions, this Monday, the Heads of State and Government will consider, amongst others: the Report on the institutional reform of the AU which will be delivered by H.E. President Paul Kagame, in his role as the leader on the project as well as an update by the Chairperson of the AU Commission Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat on the status of implementation of the institutional reforms.
Last Weekend
Coronavirus source found in pangolin meat. The deadly novel coronavirus pandemic has been traced to pangolins, the world’s most trafficked and endangered mammal, according to researchers from the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. This had been confirmed by researchers at the South China Agricultural University. Today we can reveal that DNA analyzed by the Baylor researchers appears to offer a near-perfect match for the current outbreak of novel coronavirus (nCoV-2019), an acute respiratory disease that has killed hundreds. Since the outbreak of nCoV-2019, wildlife organizations and campaigners across the globe have called on China to ban its trade in wildlife permanently. Humane Society International-Africa’s Audrey Delsink warned that the research should be harnessed to make measured conservation-based decisions. (The Daily Maverick).
A mass in memory of the victims of 1972 killings was offered last Friday at Ruvubu site (Shombo-Karusi-Burundi). Mgr Simon Ntamwana, Archbishop of Gitega during his homily said, “ …we just saw how ours left this world, from now on, there shall be no one— who is allowed to say nonsense: even if it is not me who has the power to declared that this a genocide— let us pray so that those who decide, ….to recognize that there is no longer another word for these macabre killings, it is really a genocide…”
This week
The former president of the CNDD-FDD party, Jérémie Ngendakumana, is expected to return to Bujumbura this week after 3 years of absence in Burundi. "Three years of silence after my mandate as a member of East Africa Legislative Assembly, I am returning to my dear country to participate in the elections," said Jérémie Ngendakumana. (SNews)
This week we expect to hear from officials more about how the infrastructures destroyed by torrential rain in Burundi, especially roads will be restored
This Week the RegionWeek team will publish an exclusive interview done with East Africa Community Secretary-General, Amb. Libérat Mfumukeko( Integration process, 20 years of EAC, Burundi-Rwanda Conflict and more)
International Events
February 10
International Epilepsy Day
February 11
- World Day of the Sick
-European 112 Day
-International Day of Women and Girls in Science
February 12
-International Day of Child Soldiers
-International Darwin Day
-Sexual and Reproductive Health Awareness Day
February 13
-World Radio Day
February 14
-International awareness day for congenital heart diseases
- V-Day Global day to end violence against women
February 15
- International Childhood Cancer Day
-Singles Awareness Day
Have a fruitful week!
Fabrice Iranzi,
Founding Editor, RegionWeek.com
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