V Africa
| Author | Rachel Murray |
| Published date | 01 March 2006 |
| Date | 01 March 2006 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/016934410602400109 |
| Subject Matter | Part B: Human Rights News |
V AFRICA
RACHEL MURRAY
1. AFRICAN UNION
The AU Assembly held its 5th extraordinary session on 31 October 2005 to examine
reforms to the UN. It adopted a Decision on Reform of the UN System and Security
Council
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in which it stressed the need for Africa to continue to be united in the face
of UN reform and mandated the Follow-Up Mechanism to submit a Resolution on
the Common African Position to the UN General Assembly. The Follow-Up
Mechanism should also keep the AU informed of progress.
The First African Union Conference for Ministers Responsible for Women and
Gender took place in Dakar, Senegal from 14-16 October 2005. It looked at ways in
which the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa, adopted by the
Assembly of the AU in July 2004, could be implemented. The 7
th
meeting of the
African Committee on the Rights and Welfare of the Child took place in Addis
Ababa from 19-21 December 2005.
The next AU Summit is due to take place from 16-24 January 2006 in Khartoum,
Sudan.
2. AFRICAN COURT ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES’ RIGHTS
Further to the decision of the Assembly of the AU to pursue the establishment of the
African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights for the time being, with the aim of
appointing judges to the Court at its summit in January 2006, the following
individuals have been nominated as candidates to be judges to the African Court on
Human and Peoples’ Rights: North Africa: Mr Fatsah Ouguergouz (Algeria), Mr
Anwar Salem Al-Mared (Libya), Mr Guma Abdallah Abu-Ziad (Libya); Central
Africa: Ms Domitille Barancira (Burundi), Mr Gerard Niyungeko (Burundi); East
Africa: Mr Jean Mutsinzi (Rwanda), Ms Joyce Alouch (Kenya); Southern Africa: Ms
Kellelo Justina Mafosoguni (Lesotho), Mr Bernard Ngoepe (South Africa); and West
Africa: Mr El-Hadji Guisse´ (Senegal), Mr M’Pere Diarra (Mali), Mr Modibo Tounty
Guindo (Mali), Ms AB Akufo (Ghana) and Mr Jean Emile Somda (Burkina Faso).
At its 38th session, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights
adopted a Resolution Relating to the Operalisation of an Independent and Effective
African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights in which it urged the Assembly of the
AU to elect judges and provide adequate resources for the functioning of the Court,
to include the African Commission in the process of establishing the Court, to
consider allowing individuals direct access to the Court and for States to fulfil their
obligations to financing the AU and providing voluntary contributions to the
Human Rights Fund.
Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights, Vol. 24/1 (2006) 143
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Ext/ASSEMBLY/AU/Dec.1 (V).
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