V Africa
| Published date | 01 June 2009 |
| Author | Gina Bekker |
| Date | 01 June 2009 |
| DOI | 10.1177/016934410902700209 |
| Subject Matter | Part B: Human Rights News |
Netherlands Q uarterly of Human R ights, Vol. 27/2 (2009) 273
V AFRICA
G B*
1. AFRICAN UNION AU
e 12th AU Summit on the theme ‘Infrastr ucture and Development in Africa’, which
saw agreement being reached on the tra nsformation of the AU Commission to the AU
Authority,1 was held in Addis Ababa , Ethiopia from 26 January – 3 Februar y 2009. As
part of the AU Summit, t he Executive Council (the Council) met from 29–30 Janua ry,
followed by the meeting of the As sembly from 1–3 February 20 09.
In its Decision on the 25th Activity Report of the African Commission on
Human and Peoples’ Rights, t he Council adopted and authorised for publication, the
25th Activity Report of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the
African Commission).2 In the same decision it requested the Af rican Commission to
identify ways in which the shortcomings in the functioning of the communications
mechanism result ing from ‘inter alia, human and nancia l resources constraints’ may
be overcome. An earlier request t hat the African Commi ssion present a report on this
issue in accordance wit h Assembly/AU/Dec.200(XI), was reiterated. e Council also
adopted the new structure of the Secretariat of the African Commission proposed
by the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) and commended the African
Commission for nalising its Interim Rules of Procedure. Calls were further made
to the Africa n Commission and the African Cou rt on Human and Peoples’ Rights to
expedite the harmonisation of their respective Rules, with a view to enhancing the
protection of human rights in Af rica. In the nal i nstance the Council requested the
Commission to report on the implementation of this decision at the next Ordinary
Session of the Executive Counci l.
Whilst the Executive Council does not appear to have formally adopted the
African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights’ Activity Report for the year 2008,
it did take note thereof and requested that the PRC ‘examine the Court’s proposals
on the new structure of the Court Registry and on the status of the Judges, and put
* Lecturer, University of Ul ster, Northern Ireland, t he United Kingdom.
1 See Assembly/AU/Dec.233(XII), Decision on the Special Session of the Assembly on the Union
Government.
2 See EX.CL/Dec.482(X IV), Doc. EX.CL/490 (X IV).
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