As part of International IDEA’s and the African Union’s partnership, International IDEA was invited to observe the 12th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Addis Ababa in February 2009.
On Tuesday, 3 February 2009, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), His Excellency Jean Ping, met with International IDEA’s Secretary-General, Vidar Helgesen. The two discussed the ongoing collaboration between International IDEA and AUC through the Joint Activity Plan adopted by the two organizations following the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding in June 2007, in Accra, Ghana.
Both sides agreed to strengthen further their collaboration aiming at reinforcing political efforts of the Commission to deliver on its mandate on democracy, governance and elections. The Chairperson of the AUC took the opportunity to brief International IDEA’s Secretary-General on the four pillars of the Strategic Plan that he had presented to the Assembly of the African Union. The Chairperson stressed the need for Africa to develop and agree on shared values that will guide democracy, development and stability in the Continent. The Chairperson emphasized the need for the two organizations to work together towards fulfilling these objectives.
Secretary-General Helgesen thanked Chairperson Ping for his commitment to the full implementation of their Joint Activity Plan and assured him of his organization’s readiness to mobilize the necessary resources and international support for the Plan.
As part of Helgesen’s mission to Addis Ababa, he also met with several other high-level representatives of African Union Member States, such as the President and Vice President of Ghana, and the Foreign Ministers of South Africa, Mauritius, Namibia, Cape Verde, and Botswana – all also Member States of International IDEA.
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