Democracy and Governance:Togo and Rwanda feted for commitment in reporting on Democracy and Governance.

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION DIRECTORATE

Press Release No: 145/2024 Date: 09^th August 2024.

Venue: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Togo and Rwanda feted for commitment in reporting on democracy and governance.

Togo and Rwanda have been accorded recognition by the African Union for the outstanding commitment to report on issues on democracy and governance in their countries. The African Union Permanent Representative’s Sub-Committee on Human Rights, Democracy and Governance (HRDG), hosted a recognition ceremony for Member States that have submitted the State Parties’ Reports to the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG). The ceremony was held as part of the PRC Sub Committee’s Ordinary Session held on 26-27 July 2024 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Adopted on 30 January 2007, the ACDEG encapsulates elements of the Constitutive Act of the African Union, Agenda 2063 and is at the heart of the AU Shared Values instruments. Touted as the most comprehensive African Document on democratic governance, the ACDEG has a total of 38 ratifications out of 55 AU Member States. The Togolese Republic and the Republic of Rwanda are the Member States that have so far submitted the State Parties’ Report under the Charter. The recognition aimed to:

Officially recognize the two Member States that have submitted Initial State Parties’ report per Article 49 (1) of the ACDEG and encourage the submission of periodic reports.
Officially handover the Concluding Observations for the two State Parties conducted by the African Governance Architecture (AGA) – African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) Platform.
Encourage Members of the PRC Sub-Committee on HRDG and other Member States to ratify, domesticate, implement, and report on the ACDEG.

Amb. Bankotine Batengue, Togo’s Permanent Representative to the African Union, and Amb. Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Charles Karamba Rwanda’s Permanent Representative to the African Union welcomed the recognition and the Concluding Observations. Both Ambassadors expressed their appreciation to the African Union; shared their experiences on the implementation and reporting under the ACDEG, and further encouraged their peers to renew their commitment to the Charter.

Amb. Natalina Edward Mou, Ambassador of the Republic of South Sudan and Permanent Representative (PR) to the African Union (AU), Chairperson of the PRC Sub-Committee on Human Rights, Democracy and Governance (HRDG), committed to promote the ACDEG and the State Reporting Mechanism through the work of PRC Sub-Committee on HRDG. She further applauded the AGA-APSA Platform and Secretariat for the ongoing efforts in relieving the burden of Member States Reporting by launching the Harmonization of State Parties Reporting Processes on AU Shared Values Instruments.

The initiative aims at simplifying and consolidating State Parties reporting on AU Shared Values Instruments namely, the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG), the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), the Protocol on the African Charter on the Rights of Women in Africa / Maputo Protocol, and other protocols of the ACHPR dealing with Persons Living with Disabilities, Rights of Older Persons, Citizens to Social Protection and Social Services, The African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of IDPs/ Kampala Convention and the African Charter on Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC).

On behalf of the Chairperson of the AGA-APSA Platform, Hon. Aver Rebekah Suki Javar, committee member at the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, briefed on the process of review and preparation of the Concluding observations by Members of AGA-APSA Platform. She extended her gratitude to the two Member States for their commitment and appreciated Members of the AGA-APSA Platform and the AGA-APSA Secretariat for their commitment and hard work.

H.E. Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security, was represented by Mme. Patience Chiradza, Director of Governance and Conflict Prevention (GCPD), who called for universal ratification, domestication, implementation, and reporting of the ACDEG. She also made reference to the Guidelines for State Parties Reports Under the ACDEG as a tool for understanding the reporting process. Ms. Chiradza reiterated the commitment of Department and the AGA-APSA Platform to offer necessary technical support to Member States on this process.

For further information, please contact:

Ms. Makda M. Tessema I Senior Democracy and Governance Expert I AGA-APSA Secretariat, GCPD, PAPS I African Union Commission I Email: MakdaM@africa-union.org I www.au.int/aga I Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Ms. Limi Mohamed Shash I PAPS GCPD Communication I African Union Commission I E-mail: shashlm@africa-union.org I www.au.int I Addis Ababa, Ethiopia