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Africa civil society process in relation to the second conference of the African Union

Maputo

July 4, 2003

Concept paper and call for participants

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Introduction

A Civil Society group hereafter called Co-ordinating Group (GC) comprising some of the major forums in Mozambique, facilitated by ABIODES agreed to host a side event in occasion of the coming Second Conference of Heads of States and Governments of the African Union to be held in Maputo (Mozambique) from July 4th to 12th, 2003. The event, hereafter called African Civil Society Meeting (ASC Meeting) will take place at FACIM (an exposition centre in Maputo), from 27th of June to 2nd of July 2003.

The idea of organising the ASC meeting before the Conference of Heads of State and Governments (HS&G) is that it will allow Civil Society to be in better position to feed and influence the decisions at the official event by taking the positions/consensus to the official conference.

This initiative seeks to forge a continental consensus of African CSO's to be presented during AU summit starting from the technical working groups that will be held before the Heads of State Summit. An example of such groups will be the Ministries of Agriculture meeting that will meet before the official event and for this meeting there are already several CSO's and Networks interested to attend and address issues related to agriculture, food security and land issues.

Background

Since the World Summit on Sustainable Development the Mozambican civil society, co-ordinated by a group of CSO's called Coordinating Group (CG) and facilitated by ABIODES, have maintained and consolidated the national network of CSO's interested in working together in development issues and take part in the negotiations and in the decision making and implementation process at the national, regional and international levels.

These CSO's committed them selves also to keep in touch and broaden the networking with regional, continental and international CSO's.

Other commitments assumed by CSO’s during the WSSD include following and contributing on:

  • Negotiation processes at the national, sub-regional, continental and international level;


  • Decision and policy making and implementation of development programmes;


  • Implementation of post summit plans and activities;


  • Influencing events such as the coming AU summit and other events.
Motivation

For the Coordinating Group organising this event is an opportunity of/for:

  1. Showing the African identity and dignity, increasing the visibility of the African Civil Society in its interaction with African governments.


  2. Us as Civil Society to lunch an African Civil Society Forum that should be included in the African Union structures as an alliance of most representative Civil Society networks in Africa according to their thematic areas of work and specialisation and respecting geographical representations.


  3. Lobbying and advocating at the continental level in interaction with Heads of State and Governments during the summit, gathering African people, promoting and contributing to the integration process in the continent.


  4. A space to debate key issues for Africa's development, an opportunity to create precedents for inclusion of Civil Society in the decision making and consensus building processes of the AU.


  5. Sharing the Mozambican and the continental cultural and tourist potential and richness.
Objectives

The main objectives for this meeting and the overall Civil Society process before and during the African Union Summit:

  1. The involvement side by side with governments and private sector in the decision making process so that Africa be the winner;


  2. Create and opportunity for the interaction of CSO’s and searching for solutions to African problems;


  3. To influence and feed the official process by submitting the Civil Society position for the Heads of State and Government;


  4. To bring about independent debates and formulate people's consensus regarding their problems and key priorities;


  5. To organise and promote concerts, cultural events, sports and exhibitions of participating nations;


  6. Celebrating Africanity!!!
Preparation Process

At the National level:

At the local level there are actions that have been taking place in order to bring together the concerns of the Mozambican Civil Society and will end up with a national pre-summit and debated which will formulate the national position of the Civil Society to the Summit to be incorporated with the regional and finally in the position paper of Civil Society in Africa.

Preparing the local Civil Society to contribute to the success of the summit and the African Civil Society meeting.

Secretarial and preparations of the whole process including interfacing and negotiations with the cross-ministry committee for the African Union Conference.

Continental level

The task that is being performed at the continental level is to link with regional and continental Civil Society Organizations and networks, to collect concerns about African problems to be debated and to be addressed during the CS meeting and the African Union summit of HE & G. In this sense there has been mobilisation the CSO’s to make Maputo meeting and summit a success.

Post Summit Activities

After the meeting and the summit, activities should be carried on to disseminate the results of the meeting and the summit of the HE & G at the national, continental and global level.

A Plan will be drown to follow up the commitments made during the meeting and the summit, to contribute for the success of the Mozambican presidency in the AU and to consolidate the role of Civil Society in the relevant structures of the African Union generally and particularly in their respective countries.

What is Expected in the Whole Process

  1. A Meeting of the African Civil Society Organizations represented by major networks with constituency in their thematic areas, that will discuss a document to be produced by experts available in Civil Society organizations and later adopted as a “position of Civil Society for the Second Summit of the AU”;


  2. A Summit of Heads of States and Governments (official meeting) in which Civil Society should be participating actively and feeding it with positions;


  3. Parallel events characterized by thematic panels and debates, exhibitions sports, peoples’ expressions, shows and cultural events, pre and post summit excursions, etc…
Results Foreseen to be Achieved During the Whole Process

  1. Establishment of a functional Coordinating Group and an operational Secretariat for the process (preparation, meeting and beyond);


  2. Marketing, Lobbying and Advocacy campaigns about the process performed;


  3. Create analytical and intervention capacity of Civil Society;


  4. Civil Society involved and gathered in occasion of the Second Summit of the African Union;


  5. Results of the Second Summit of Heads of State and Governments influenced and fed by Civil Society and its role defined in the processes of decision making and implementation in African Union.
What is Under Negotiation with Government in Mozambique

  1. A space in the official forum and accreditation for Civil Society delegates;


  2. An official mechanism to feed continuously the official forum with people's positions;


  3. Authorization for specific programs such as expression, sports in public places etc;


  4. Space for cultural events;


  5. Hotels and lodges;


  6. Coverage of Civil Society delegates with all facilities (transport, first aid, guides, etc.);


  7. Security in the areas of CS events;
Some Thematic Issues and Areas of Activity for Debate During the ASC Meeting

There is a wide range of proposed topics and issues for debate during the African Civil Society meeting. These topics, issues and themes are considered to be of importance and concern in the daily work of Civil Society Organizations in the whole continent and therefore they should be discussed and incorporated in a final document with civil society positions for the Heads of State and Governments.

It is acknowledged by all the CSO’s and networks that had contributed up to date that eradicating poverty, ending armed conflicts, promoting democracy, rule of law, respect for human rights and basic freedoms, developing the human resources base, changing unsustainable patterns of production and consumption, and protecting the natural resources base are priorities for sustainable development in Africa. High HIV/AIDS prevalence and malaria infection endanger the capacity of Africa to achieve sustainable development.

Therefore, the major thematic focus of the ACSO’s will be on:

  1. Poverty eradication and sustainable livelihoods, including free water supply health and education issues;


  2. Food security, land issues and agriculture;


  3. Promoting local economic development while protecting and managing the natural resource base for economic and social development;


  4. Sustainable consumption and production patterns, including technology transfer issue;


  5. Fair trade and equal distribution, including the debt issue, globalisation and corporate accountability;


  6. Sustainable development of Africa, as contained in the Chapter 8 of the Plan of Implementation, including governance, conflicts prevention and resolution, corruption, human rights and civil society participation especially in the framework of the African Union and NEPAD.
To make it an African Process what is Requested from CSO’s

  1. Technical and resources assistance from Africa and other geographical areas;


  2. Mobilization of country's and thematic networks to give their inputs and concerns to be included in the final document;


  3. Domestic preparation in all involved countries for forging continental positions;


  4. Participatory and transparent processes by indicating the existing networks with constituency to join the process for its legitimacy and wider contributions;


  5. Sharing of information about the existing networks, their contacts, thematic areas and concerns towards African Union Summit;


  6. Sharing of the data base of expertise for generating independent and quality information for adequate and effective lobbying during the summit;


  7. Co-funding by sending delegates to Maputo.
How to Participate

Please send your comments about the whole concept paper, the process to the adress bellow. A registration form is also available above for the process and intersted parties a list of accomodation places and prices will be made available very soon, but an average of USD 100 for lodging, accomodation and incidentals per day is adequate.

Due to financial dificulties that the preparation process is facing, we regret to inform that the participants are requested to raise funds for their travel, accomodation and food during the meeting and the summit for those who will be staying after the SC meeting for really lobbying the process.

For pre and after meeting tours we can direct all interested parties to the local travel agents.

Looking forward for your comments and to seeing you Maputo!

Norberto Mahalambe
(Process Facilitator)


Registration form:

[PDF version - 10Kb < 1min (1 pages)]

[MS Word version - 38Kb < 1min]


For more details on the process please contact:

ABIODES
Telefax: +258 1 31 48 54
E-Mail: abiodes@teledata.mz
Avenida Eduardo Mondlane 2221, 2nd Floor
Maputo – Mozambique
PO Box 806
Att.: HР№lder Malauene
Assistant for the Process



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