|
OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT
The African Union Special Summit on Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons in Africa, 19-23 October 2009, Kampala, Uganda
MEDIA CENTRE
Information Paper
Prof. Tarsis Bazana Kabwegyere
Minister Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees
19th August 2009
THE AFRICAN UNION SPECIAL SUMMIT ON REFUGEES, RETURNEES AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS IN AFRICA, 19TH - 23RD OCTOBER 2009, KAMPALA, UGANDA
Background
In 2007, the African Union requested Uganda to host a Special Afriacn Union Summit aimed at pursuing durable solutions to the root causes and problems of Africa’s 17 million IDPs and Refugees.
Uganda accepted to host the Special African Union Summit which is now scheduled for 19-23 October 2009 in Kampala
The theme of the Summit is; The theme the special summit is, ‘Africa Union addressing the challenges of Forced Displacement in Africa’
This summit is a follow-up of the AU Ministerial Conference on forced displacement held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, May 2006 and the 9th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union held in July 2006 in Banjul, The Gambia.
At the Summit, African Heads of State and Governments in addition to reaffirming their commitment to the basic principles of protecting, assisting and finding durable solutions for victims of forced displacement, are expected to take decisions that will help the continent progressively eliminate the phenomenon of large scale forced displacement of populations caused by human-induced conflicts and natural disasters.
The outcome of the summit is an ‘AU Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa’
The African Union and Key partners chose Uganda to host the special summit because of Uganda’s commendable commitment to the pursuit of durable solutions to the root causes and problems of Africa’s 17 million IDPs and Refugees; which include Cabinet approval and implementation of the first ever IDP policy and one of the most progressive Refugees Policies in the World.
The special summit is important to Uganda in that the African Union and the International Community as a whole are looking for that opportunity to learn from Uganda’s experiences and to formally honor Uganda in that respect. It is proposed that the convention to be signed is named the KAMPALA CONVENTION.
Specific aims of the Special Summit
The special AU summit will specifically aim at addressing the following:
a. The root causes of displacement including through medium to long-term strategies and programmes;
b. Identify ways of preventing forced displacement in Africa;
c. Improve the protection of victims of forced displacement in Africa;
d. Strengthen measures to meet the specific needs of displaced women and children;
e. Devise strategies to reduce the impact of natural disasters on displacement of people and finding solutions of their problems;
f. Devise strategies that would enable fast tracking the rebuilding of communities emerging from conflict;
g. Strengthening Partnerships in addressing forced displacement in Africa.
Progress made in Preparation
A lot of progress has been made towards the successful hosting of this summit both at the International and national levels. In October, 2008, I hosted a debriefing of Ambassadors and High Commissioners accredited to the United Nations Office in Geneva during the 59th Session of UNHCR Executive Committee. The Ambassadors and High Commissioners all applauded Africa for this initiative. UNCHR used the same occasion to launch a support funds-drive with US$350,000.
I also held a number of bilateral meetings with development partners while attending the 10th Anniversary of the UN Guiding Principles for protection and assistance of IDPs in Oslo, Norway on the same subject in 2008.
A high level AU Mission led by Mme Dolly Julia Joiner, Commissioner for Political Affairs visited Kampala 19-20 November and briefed the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister on progress so far made on their side including finalization of the Convention Document, Host Country Agreement Document and hiring of relevant Consultants for preparation and management of the Summit
I chaired a conference of Ministers responsible for forced displacement in Africa, 10-11 November 2008, in Addis Ababa. They endorsed the final version of the Convention and pledged to brief their respective Governments on the importance of the Kampala Summit.
At the National level, with the support of the Norwegian Ambassador and UNHCR, I have debriefed Development Partners and who have also pledged to support the initiative.
I have also debriefed African Ambassadors accredited to Uganda who have equally pledged their support.
The total budget for the special summit is shs 4,300,919, 706/= (four billion three hundred million, nine hundred nineteen thousand, seven hundred and six only).
Seventy percent (70%) of the funds have been realized from contributions by Government, AU Commission and UNHCR. The balance of 30% is in form of pledges by Other Development Partners. We hope to have all the required funds by mid-September 2009.
Activities at National Level
i. A National Steering Committee meets every Monday and it has set up working sub committees and a full-time Secretariat. Key outputs:
- All subcommittees’ work-plans are complete and the national steering committee is set for the summit.
- Conference Facilities at Munyonyo and Serena have been inspected and recommended
- Invitation letters to Heads of State and Government have been signed by H. E The President and delivered to the African Union Member States
- Information Hand Book for Delegates and Aide Memoir is near completion by Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- A draft agenda for the summit has been put in place
ii. An Inter-Ministerial Technical Committee to be chaired by the Head of Civil Service is scheduled to meet early next month to review outputs of the Steering Committee and the status of readiness.
iii. A Cabinet Sub Committee for the special summit has been constituted and will meet regularly from the month of September under the chaired of H.E the Vice President to oversee progress towards the summit.
iv. The Summit manual, Agenda and other awareness materials and programmes have been developed and await approval by the AU before being shared out through various mechanisms.
v. Video clips to promote awareness through International and National Media Stations, such as the CNN, BBC and National Broadcasting Services on the AU Special Summit have been developed and airing will begin early September for the period upto the summit.
vi. Special envoy of H.E The President together with Madam Joiner, AU Commissioner and Ambassador Aceh, the UNHCR Representative for the AU special Summit will visit a number of African Countries who currently chair subregional organs such as East African Community (EAC), Economic Commission of West African States (ECOWAS) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) to seek assistance of the Countries Head of State and Government in championing the mobilization of their colleagues – Excellencies from the subregion to attend the important summit. The visits are planned to take place 1st-30th September.
vii. Uganda’s Ambassadors have been availed information packs about the summit and have been requested to deliver them to prominent African Leaders including; Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki, Joachim Chissano, Gracia Machel, Prof. Alpha Konare, Kofi Anan, Benjamin Mkapa, Gen. Obasanjo, Kenneth Kaunda and Antoio Guterres of UNHCR amongst others and to request them to champion, promote & popularize the importance of the Kampala Special AU Summit.
viii. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and myself held a debriefing meeting of all African Ambassadors Accredited to Uganda during the first week of June and requested them to accordingly inform their Heads of State and Governments of the importance of the summit.
Thank You
Tarsis Bazana Kabwegyere
MINISTER FOR RELIEF, DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND REFUGEES
|
