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OAS AND AFRICAN UNION TO COOPERATE ON ISSUES OF PROMOTION OF DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS

The Commission of the African Union (AU) and the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) signed Thursday a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen the cooperation between both continental organizations. The document was signed by the OAS Secretary General, José Miguel Insulza, and the Chairman of the Commission of the African Union, Jean Ping.

The MOU establishes a higher level of cooperation between the two organizations specifically on issues relating to promotion of democracy and strengthening of democratic institutions and processes, conflict resolution, protection of human and peoples’ rights and social and economic development, as well as any other areas of common interest that may be defined in the future by the parties.

“This is the first such agreement that has been signed by our two organizations, and it represents a historic milestone in a cooperation that began a couple of years ago,” said Secretary General Insulza.

“I am glad that we have moved this cooperation to another level. The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding signals the commitment of the OAS and the African Union to deepen our relationship and it represents a step in the building of a strategic alliance and partnership that is critical in today’s globally integrated world,” he added.

“In signing this MOU on behalf of the AU Commission I wish to assure all of you of my personal commitment and the commitment of our Commission and all our Member States to bring together the political collective weight of the AU, composed of 53 countries and 1 billion inhabitants, and translate it into common efforts to achieve the objectives and goals of this partnership agreement,” said Mr. Ping.

The signing of the MOU will be followed by the visit of a delegation from the OAS General Secretariat to AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to agree on steps of cooperation, among them the organization of the Second Joint Forum on Democracy and Human Rights and the development of a working plan on areas described in the MOU.

The signing took place in the San Martin Hall at OAS Headquarters in Washington, DC, and was attended, among other figures, by the OAS Assistant Secretary General, Amb. Albert Ramdin; the AU Commissioner on Peace and Security, Amb. Ramtane Lamamra; the Chairman of the OAS Permanent Council and Permanent Representative of Colombia, Amb. Luis Alfonso Hoyos; the Permanent Representative of the AU to the US, Amb. Amina Salum Ali; and the US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, Ms. Karen Stewart. Also in attendance were several Permanent Representatives and Observers to the OAS.

Reference: E-316/09