The 29th Ordinary Session of the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC), kicked off today, Friday 23rd January 2015 at the African Union (AU) Headquarters in Addis Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, against the backdrop of discussions to launch 2015 as the “Year of Women’s Empowerment and Development towards Africa’s Agenda 2063”, which is the theme of the 24th African Union (AU) Summit of Heads of State and Government scheduled to hold on 30 and 31st January 2015.

Speaking on behalf of the AUC Chairperson during the opening ceremony of the PRC, the Deputy Chairperson of the AU Commission, Mr. Erastus Mwencha, highlighted that the time has come for Africa to move in one direction to put the continent on solid grounds in its urge for success as a united, intergrated and prosperous continent at peace with itself..., “We must move in one direction and that is upward...”.

Mr. Mwencha stressed that, given the different challenges Africa is facing today, time has come for Africa to move from speeches to action, thus the need to effectively launch the Africa Agenda 2063. He called on all Africans to be part of this process of change.
The AUC Deputy Chairperson also pointed out that, by establishing the African Support to the Ebola Outbreak in West Africa (ASWEOWA), the continent has demonstrated its capacity to mobilize and stand as one to protect the African continent from the devastating Ebola crisis that has caused the death of thousands of citizens. That is why the AUC has developed a sensitisation campaign to raise awareness and engage all Africans in the different crises responses programs of the AUC. “There is much to do and no more time to waste.....We need to have courage and political will to do great things” said Mr. Mwencha.

Addressing the Ambassadors, the Chairperson of the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC), H.E Hamadi Meimoun, who is also the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, commended the AUC Chairperson and the staff for their efforts towards the transformation of Africa. “We are aware of the different problems we are facing and we know what to do to take up these challenges”, he said. He lauded the existing good working relationship between the AUC and the PRC and underscored the need for this cooperation to be strengthened so as to help Africa overcome all the different socio-economic challenges it is facing.

Ambassador Meimoun stressed on the necessity to build a secure environment in Africa to enable the successful fulfilment of the objectives of the Agenda 2063 given that, “without security there is no peace and without peace there is no development”, he noted. He added that a peaceful environment will ease our “constant struggle against poverty, marginalisation and unemployment.”
Composed of Permanent Representatives of Member States accredited to the Union and other duly accredited plenipotentiaries of AU Member States based in Addis Ababa, the Permanent Representatives Committee will for two days deliberate and submit their report to the Executive Council who will be meeting at their 26th Ordinary on 26 and 27 Januray 2015, for consideration and adoption.

Source: http://summits.au.int/en/24thsummit/events/29th-ordinary-session-permanent-representatives-committee-kicks-today-african-unio