NEWS: DIDIGU named interim executive director for ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority

The ECOWAS Commission has announced the appointment of Mrs. Henrietta Uzoamaka Didigu, as the first Executive Director of the ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority (ERCA).

According to a statement by the ECOWAS Commission on Monday in Abuja, the appointment, which is at the instance of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, is for an interim period of 12 months, allowing the appointee to undertake crucial establishment activities that would lead to the full operationalization of ERCA in the shortest possible time.

Prior to her appointment, Didigu, was the Technical Adviser on Institutional Reform to the President of the Commission.

She brings on board, over 28 years' experience in regional integration and chaired, during the period, numerous high level negotiation missions, meetings and projects for country and region.

Before joining the Commission in 2000, Didigu, who holds a Master's Degree in Law (LLM) from the prestigious Duke University of Law, North Carolina, U.S.A, having earlier graduated from Nigeria's elite Ivory Tower, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, worked with the Nigerian Ministry of Justice, where she rose to the position Assistant Director.

In a period spanning 19 years at the ministry, she was involved in international negotiations, including the process that led to the adoption of the model Competition Rules for the Commonwealth of Nations.

Previously, she held various strategic level positions in the Commission, including Acting Director of the Legal Affairs Department for four years during which she was involved in the conceptual stages of the ECOWAS Regional Competition Policy Framework as well as in the drafting of the legal documents for the establishment of the regional Competition Authority.

Didigu also served as Acting Director of the Humanitarian and Social Affairs Department. One of her notable missions for the Community was as the legal adviser to the 2003 Liberian Peace Talks under the leadership of the former Nigerian Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar. The peace talks ended the country's civil war in 2003 and restored democratic governance to Liberia.

Based in Banjul, The Gambia, ERCA was established in 2008, subject to the approval of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS to implement the ECOWAS Regional Competition Rules in aid of regional economic growth, consumer welfare and social stability through the promotion of competition and efficiency amongst enterprises within the ECOWAS common market

Source: https://www.journalducameroun.com/en/didigu-named-interim-executive-director-for-ecowas-regional-competition-authority/

Head of AIF Research & Comm’s Unit Visits Association of African Universities on “Agenda2063 Youth Engagement Series”

Demystify. Unpack. Explain

Head of AIF Research & Comm's Unit Visits Association of African

Universities on "Agenda2063 Youth Engagement Series"

Although Agenda2063 remains a working African vision since  2013, African activists continue to reference the UN's SDG in their discussions at the expense of Agenda2063.

Failure to do so now will affect how young people appreciate the document as helping shape a better future for them, including the important role the AU has in the prosecution of this.

It is to this end that the Accra-based Association of African Universities, an agency of the AU, has resolved to change the script with the creation of "Agenda2063 Youth Engagement Series".

The series will involve educational tours of Agenda2063 around selected educational institutions all over Ghana. The format will be three-fold, and will include a training; a plenary showcasing Agenda2063's aspirations with a moderator; and a pitch to.explore which students possess the most interesting community-based projects for funding. Over time, this format will.be exported to all African countries.

Presentations have already commenced at the University of Education in Winneba, located in Ghana's Central region. In Accra, the University of Professional Studies has already been paid a visit.

With exam period coming up, it is prudent to wait till September before resuming the field visits. However, as the visit with AAU confirmed, the Series will most definitely be launched in July 2019.

Africa in Focus has expressed an interest in being a strategic media partner, alongside its sister ECOWAS Business News. The partnership will help facilitate greater synergy and engagement with other relevant AU sister organisations to help amplify the ideals behind the Series.

This is consistent with AIF's membership of the Agenda 2063 Media Network (facilitated by NEPAD-AU Development Agency) that is seeking to mobilise a constituency of media practitioners reporting actively about Agenda2063.

ENDs

Africa in Focus Show seeks to demystify, unpack, and explain developments within institutions of ECOWAS; the African Union; East Africa; & South-South cooperation.First airborne in 2014, and with 5 Seasons under its belt, the Show is known as a reference for quality analysis on Africa.

@ekbensah | africainfocusshow.blogspot.com | www.instagram.com/africainfocusshow | +233.268.687.653 /+233.243.111.789*

AU Launches Call for Proposals on Consultancy Services to undertake Gender Mainstreaming Study in the Energy Sector in Africa

Demystify. Unpack. Explain

#OPPORTUNITY:

AU Launches Call for Proposals on Consultancy Services to undertake Gender Mainstreaming Study in the Energy Sector in Africa

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Monica Maduekwe <MMaduekwe@ecreee.org>
Date: Mon, 6 May 2019, 11:39
Subject: AU Launches call for proposals on Consultancy Services to undertake Gender Mainstreaming Study in the Energy Sector in Africa
To: Forwgender <gender@ecreee.org>


Dear All,

The African Union (AU) has launched a call for proposals for Consultancy Services to undertake Gender Mainstreaming Study in the Energy Sector in Africa. The study will inform the development of a Harmonised Policy for Gender & Energy in Africa, as well as guide the AUC in designing a Programme for Mainstreaming Gender in Energy.

Kindly find attached the bid document. More information can be gotten here: https://au.int/en/bids/20190423/terms-reference-consultancy-services-undertake-gender-mainstreaming-study-energy

Please circulate the information.



Chers tous,

L'Union africaine (UA) a lancé un appel à propositions pour que les services de consultants entreprennent une étude d'intégration de la problématique hommes-femmes dans le secteur de l'énergie en Afrique. L'étude éclairera l'élaboration d'une politique harmonisée pour le genre et l'énergie en Afrique, et guidera la CUA dans la conception d'un programme d'intégration de la dimension de genre dans l'énergie.

Veuillez trouver ci-joint le document de candidature. Plus d'informations peuvent être obtenues ici: https://au.int/en/bids/20190423/terms-reference-consultancy-services-undertake-gender-mainstreaming-study-energy

Veuillez faire circuler l'information.



Cordialement,



Monica

ENDs

Africa in Focus Show seeks to demystify, unpack, and explain developments within institutions of ECOWAS; the African Union; East Africa; & South-South cooperation.First airborne in 2014, and with 5 Seasons under its belt, the Show is known as a reference for quality analysis on Africa.

@ekbensah | africainfocusshow.blogspot.com | www.instagram.com/africainfocusshow | +233.268.687.653

SAVE THE DATE #MaastrichtDebate -- 29 April -- Which Vision for Europe post-Juncker?

Although I am known to produce more column inches and debates around ECOWAS and the *African Union*, few will know that I am someone who grew up in Brussels and watched European integration politics play out. I recommend one keep an eye out for #MaastrichtDebate.

There are four candidates vying for the powerful *Presidency of the European Commission*. My number is for former Belgian premier *Guy Verhofstadt*, who has been keenly involved in Brexit negotiations; been an overt supporter of multilateralism using Europe's7 experience.

In 2001, at an International Conference on Globalisation, he actually called for *regional representation* at the UN Security Council, including a seat for the AU. He was one of the *first European politicians* to do so.

Interestingly, out of the four candidates to challenge the Commission presidency, only one is a Conservative, with the other three representing Liberal Democrats; Greens; Socialists.

These largely Left-leaning candidates arguably reflect the apparent strength of the Left in Europe -- something which seemed to be dying with the ultra-Conservatism that was spawned with Brexit and similar movements.

As per the newly-adopted #AUReforms, the AU has itself changed the way it elects a new Chairperson for the four-year term.

AU watchers may be keen to find out how this *April 29* debate can help inform the proposed town hall format proposed under #AUReforms in 2018.

Even as the AU needs to get more serious on the nomenclature of its departments for an effective prosecution of its continental agenda, a more Left-ish European Commission  president could arguably be useful and more flexible in its approach of AU-EU relations on matters such as the vexatious *migration*.

The jury is certainly out till after 29th April.

ENDs

ONLINE PRESS BRIEFING on #AfricanPeaceFacility & ECOWAS’ Right to Peace Meeting of 25 March, 2019 -- 21 March, 2019

Demystify. Unpack. Explain

&

ONLINE PRESS BRIEFING on #AfricanPeaceFacility & ECOWAS' Right to Peace Meeting on 25 March, 2019

💥 *MEDIA INVITE*: Online press briefing (⚡ *FACEBOOK LIVE* ⚡) with E.K.Bensah Jr, Communications Consultant, *African Peace Facility*, European Commission.

💥The objective of the briefing is to *brief Ghanaian media* on significance of the "Right to Peace" ECOWAS meeting on *25 March*.

❇ Mr.Bensah will brief media on highlights of the *ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework (ECPF)*, and explain why this is an important meeting for the APF

❇ Journalists will be able to ask and/or submit questions ahead of time, and live during the briefing.

🔥Join us *21 March*, 2019 at 12:00pm GMT on *FACEBOOK*🙏🏾

🔥Follow the conversation on *#AfricanPeaceFacility*

📞CONTACT:
❄www.twitter.com/ecowasbiznews

❄www.twitter.com/ekbensah

❄www.facebook.com/ecowasbusinessnews

💥more details: https://www.africa-eu-partnership.org/en/our-events/right-peace-west-african-states

ENDs

Africa in Focus Show seeks to demystify, unpack, and explain developments within institutions of ECOWAS; the African Union; East Africa; & South-South cooperation.First airborne in 2014, and with 5 Seasons under its belt, the Show is known as a reference for quality analysis on Africa.

@ekbensah | ecowasbusinessnews.blogspot.com | +233.268.687.653 /+233.243.111.789*

#Event: AU ORGANS MOBILISED IN JOHANNESBURG FOR A TRAINING ON DISABILITY MAINSTREAMING

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Johannesburg, 19 February 2019 – From 20 to 22 February 2019 a training on the theme of Mainstreaming Disability in Development Policy and Programming will bring together Regional Economic Communities (RECs), African Union Organs, and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) in Johannesburg, South Africa. The training will be organized as a partnership between the AUC Department of Social Affairs, African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

In January 2013, the Executive Council Decision EX.CL/750 (XX) requested AUC to facilitate the implementation of the Social Policy Framework for Africa (SPF), which focuses also on disability and of which one of the 11 recommended actions is to "ensure effective mainstreaming of disability issues in all sectors and programmes of government and civil society as a means to increase participation, social inclusion and representation of persons with disabilities at all levels of society, including decision making and monitoring processes" .

Therefore, the objective of the training will be to equip policy and decision makers with the skills and knowledge to mainstream disability for inclusive development in their respective organisations.

In addition to the trainees being able to mainstream disability into the policies and programmes of the organs and departments, the other expected outcomes from the training are for trainees to also be able to  i) Have a common understanding of disability as a global development and human rights issue; ii) Apply the provisions of the Continental Plan of Action (CPoA) on the African Decade of Persons with Disabilities (2010-2019), UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People's Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Africa and other Human Rights Instruments into national policies and programmes; iii) Monitor implementation of disability mainstreaming and report on the progress of CPoA and other human rights instruments.



For Further Information: -

Mr. Lefhoko Kesamang – Department of Social Affairs | African Union Commission | Email: KesamangL@africa-union.org



Ms. Diana Demba-Mutondo – Communications Officer | African Peer Review Mechanism | Email: diana.demba@aprm-au.org

Facebook: AfricanPeerReviewMechanism Twitter: @APRMorg

www.aprm-au.org    Facebook icon   LinkedIn icon Twitter icon   Google Plus icon Youtbue icon   

Feature: #RiversideAttack - #Africans Must Resist Being Slaves to a Terror Construct

ECOWAS BUSINESS NEWS TALKING POINTS:* *INSIGHTS*:

*Africans Must Resist Being Slaves to a Terror Construct*

By E.K.Bensah Jr

21 January, 2019

As a West African familiar with terrorism attacks in the region since 2012, the prospect of terror chills me to the bone. I cannot imagine going about my normal business in a mall -- only to be caught in the web of a terrorist's dystopian construct.

As a Ghanaian, terrorism is so close yet so far. So close is it because our porous borders (read ECOWAS free movement) means Boko Haram can cross borders easily and, possibly, hide in any country like Ghana with sleeper cells ready to launch anytime and anywhere. Conversely, it is so far, because to date, Ghana has not appeared to be on its immediate radar.

Kenyans cannot say same about Al-Shabaab: it is clearly almost-always too close to call. The 15 January attacks are the third since the Westgate attacks in 2013. In Easter 2015, Garissa attacks united the East Africa Rising whatsapp group, reminding us that what unites us -- common humanity -- is stronger than what divides us.

Once again,in 2019, the prospect of a terror attack united us. It would be our Zimbabwean member who would signal to the group there was a developing story in Kenya. After frenetic checklisting, we were relieved to find that all our Kenyan members were far away from harm's way -- although one member was scheduled to meet a friend there and missed the meeting. Subsequent checks with local media in Kenya and the BBC revealed a developing story that needed clarity and authenticity in reporting.

Once it became clear that Al-Shabaab had claimed responsibility for the terrorist attacks, it prompted speculation on what happened to Kenya's internal security? What could have happened for Kenyan intelligence to have missed a looming threat from a border nation that continues to pose somewhat of an existential threat to its security? Even more worrying is the point that the 2015 Garissa Attack was successfully carried out in part because of the element of surprise.

Going forward, we cannot continue to accept more of the same, where the AU's first peace-enforcement mission in AMISOM is supposed to be the first responder to fighting Al-Shabaab, yet attracts scant coverage in the region and beyond.

During Kenya's election campaign in 2017, one of the pledges by then-candidate Odinga, now an AU diplomat, was to bring Kenyan Defense Force soldiers back home as the objective of defeating Al-Shabaab had been achieved. Conversely, candidate Kenyatta was intent on keeping KDF forces as part of the Troop Contributing Countries (TCC) within AMISOM.

To date, AMISOM TCC include: Kenya; Sierra Leone; Burundi; Uganda; Djibouti; and Ethiopia.

On the day of the Riverside attack, just two hours before news started unfolding, the twitter account of AMISOM issued a tweet about Ghana deploying 160 police officers to "bolster policing operations in Somalia  within the framework of Somalia Transition Plan and UNSC Resolution 2372…" The move was with a view to downsizing the military, and drawing down the troops of AMISOM police personnel to 1040. As to whether Riverside will be a compelling reason to reconsider a drawdown is moot.

Truth is: peace enforcement is only as effective as the public support for it. Conflict resolution experts with an eye on peacekeeping forces worldwide will tell you that the 12-yr-old AMISOM remains the AU's only peace-enforcement mission in the world. Few will know AMISOM possesses an active social media twitter account.

The attack on Garissa University in 2015 coupled with the beheading of nine people by Al Shabaab militants in July 2017, plus these fresh attacks, must be sufficient to remind the world that no matter what Kenya does, its destiny is inextricably linked with fighting the existential evil of Al-Shabaab.

AMISOM and Al-Shabaab may not be talking points this part of the world in Ghana, and West Africa, but it's time to revise and reboot whatever support we can to all troops worldwide fighting terror. That Ghana has a police force in AMISOM should always have been sufficient grounds for us to be more intimately involved in monitoring AMISOM.

Let's do our little bit to give AMISOM and all its troops all the support and visibility possible so we do our citizen bit to help nip global terrorism in the bud.

Emmanuel is an AU & Ecowas Policy Analyst, with 16 years research in comparative regional integration & 14 years in civil society activism.

Since 2012, he has been actively monitoring and writing about aspects of East Africa's integration.

Between 2014 and 2016, he worked with radio hosting & executive-producing "Africa in Focus", a show that seeks to demystify, unpack & explain Ecowas; AU; South-South cooperation. He is an occasional pundit on Ecowas & AU matters for Accra-based Starr FM & Class FM.

@ekbensah