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Background Paper

I. Background

1. Since its establishment, the Organisation of African Unity has collaborated with African Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the fulfillment of its mandate. This collaboration has so far proceeded on an ad hoc basis. However, as a reulst of the xperience gained, it has increasinly been recognized that, in order to harness this collaboration, it is necessary to establish a framework of cooperation between the OAU and African CSOs, within which specific modalities and mechanisms of cooperation could be developed.

2. It is in recognition of this need that the Secretary General of the OAU, in his report to the Harare sessions of the Council of Ministers and the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, in 1997, proposed a closer and a more effective collaboration between the OAU and the African Civil Society within the framework of his renewal and reform program for the OAU. The OAU-Civil Society Conference, that the Secretary General has now called to convene in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 11 - 15 June 2001 is a direct outcome of this initiative. The objective being to assist in promoting a home-grown African Civil Society and enhance its contribution to the fulfillment of OAU's mission.

II. Rationale

3. In this regard, the 1990 Declaration of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government on the Political and Socio-Economic Situation in Africa and the Fundamental Changes Taking Place in the World, marked a renewed and a more focused articulation of the need of involving the peoples of Africa, at the national and regional levels, in the management of public affairs and in decision-making. The African Charter on Popular Participation, adopted by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government in 1990, placed particular emphasis on citizens' participation in development and called for the effective involvement of women on the basis of full equality. This new thinking, an outcome of Africa's endeavors of meeting the challenges of development, democratizaiton, and peace-making, was predicated on the recognition that African CSOs, because of their proximity to where these problems occur, may bring their perspectives and local knowledge to bear on their solutions.

4. The Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community (1991) carried further this renewed thinking by giving concrete expression to OAU-Civil Society partnership in the service of Africa. Article 90 of the Treaty stipulates as follows:

"The community, in the context of mobilizing the human and material resources of Africa, shall establish relations of cooperation with African non-governmental organizations with a view to encouraging the involvement of the African Peoples in the process of economic integration and mobilizing their technical, material and financial support."

5. Article 90 further stipulates that the Community shall, to this end, set up "a mechanism for consultation with such non-governmental organizations."

6. More specifically on development, Article 91 of the same Treaty provides as follows:

"The Community, in the context of mobilizing the various actors of socio-economic life, shall establish relations of cooperation with socio-economic organizations and associations including mainly, producers, transport operators, workers, employers, youth, women, artisans and other professional organizations and association with a view to ensuring their involvement in the integration process in Africa.

To this end, the Community shall set up a mechanism for consultation with such socio-economic organizations and associations".

7. As an expression of the renewed sense of commitment to OAU-Civil Society partnership, the Grand Bay Declaration of April 1999, adopted by the first OAU Ministerial Conference on Human Rights, recognized the importance of promoting of African Civil Society and "particularly NGOs rooted in the realitys of the African Continent."

The Declaration called upon "all governmental, inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations to cooperate and harmonize their initiatives with the OAU and relevant organizations as well as the various sub-regional bodies within Africa for a more coordinated approach to the implementation of human rights in Africa and for maximum effect of such programs and initiatives."

8. In the Sirte Declaration of 9 September 1999, the African Leaders decided to establish the African Union. They also decided to establish a Pan-African Parliament "to provide a common platform for our peoplees and grass-root organizations to be more involved in discussions and decision-making on the problems and challenges facing the continent."

9. In the Constitutive Act of the African Union, adopted by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government in July 2000 in Lome, Togo, the Leaders stated that they were guided by a "common vision of a united and strong Africa and by the need to build partnership between governments and all segments of civil society, in particular women, youth and the private sector, in order to strengthen solidarity and cohesion among our peoples."

III. Objectives

10. The objective of the Conference is to enhance and consolidate cooperation between the OAU and African CSOs. More specifically, it is to provide for structured modalities of consultations and specific mechanisms for cooperation and collaboration so as to enable African CSOs to contribute to the fulfillment of the objectives of the OAU. The Conference is thus expected to focus on promoting the following objectives of the Organization:

• Peace and security in Africa;
• Good governance;
• Protection of human and peoples' rights and respect for international humanitarian law;
• Rule of law and constitutional order;
• Economic cooperation, integration and development;
• Unity and cohesion of Africa, through the African Union and the Pan-African Parliament;
• Effective measures to meet the challenges confronting Africa: resolving conflicts, HIV/AIDS and other diseases, poverty alleviation and other dimensions of under-development.

11. The Conference is expected to address the following issues and arrive at a common understanding:

• The building of linkages and networks between the OAU and CSOs for addressing security, political, social, economic and environmental issues;
• Arrangements that would ensure continuous interaction, joint action, and implementation of joint projects;
• The documentation, publication and dissemination of information on the efforts of the OAU and CSOs in the promotion of OAU's overall mandate;
• The development of a database of African experts, CSOs and NGOs and other specialized associations ot provide advisory services to the OAU Secretariat and to mobilize support for its operational activities;
• Promotion of a policy framework that is conductive to the development of African CSOs and to enhancing their contribution to the programmes and activities of the OAU;
• Enhancing the participation of women, youth and other marginalized groups in the work of the OAU.

IV. Expected results

12. The Conference is expected to achieve the following results.

• A programme for enhancing the role and the capacity of CSOs and NGOs at national, regional and continental levels;
• The development of a framework and a mechanism for cooperation which would enable African CSOs and NGOs to contribute meaningfully to the work of the OAU;
• The identification of core issues on which joint actions can be planned and implemented;
• The establishement of a follow-up mechanism to monitor the implementation of Conference results.

V. Participation

13. Participants (more than 150) will comprise representatives of Civil Society Organizations from OAU Member States (two from each Member State), representatives of regional and continental CSOs, Civil Society personalities, representatives of the Member States in Addis Ababa, OAU Staff Members, and the Media.

VI. Conference organization

14. The Conference is organized by the OAU with the support of its partners: UNECA, UNDP/UNOPS and InterAfrica Group, and the financial assistance of UNDP and the Governments of Canada and Spain.

15. Disucssions will be organized on the basis of thematic areas, and issue papers will be prepared in advance on specific topics within those thematic areas.

16. Discussions will be held in plenary, working groups and round tables. Resource persons chosen for their expertise will be invited to lead the discussions as presenters of issue papers, or as discussants or commentators.

17. The Conference will be conducted in English and French.

18. Under OAU's overall responsibility and coordination, the Conference secretariat will comprise a team drawn from the OAU, ECA and InterAfrica Group.

VII. Conference Venue and Date

19. The Conference will be held at the United Nations Conference Centre in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 11 to 15 June 2001.

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• Address by Mr. Abdul Mohammed
  
  
• Organization of African Unity
  
  
• UNECA
  -- Opening address by K.Y. Amoako, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa
  
  
• UNDP
  
  
• InterAfrica Group