By State House Communication Unit
President Ernest Bai Koroma, accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Sia Nyama Koroma, will lead the Sierra Leone delegation participating in the 26th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union scheduled to take place 30-31 of January 2016, at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The theme for this year’s session is: “2016: African Year of Human Rights with particular focus on the Rights of Women” It aims, among others at exploring insights, initiatives and actions necessary to responding to current challenges of human rights with emphasis on the rights of women. Sierra Leone’s participation, therefore, would be anchored on account of the following:
(a) Special responsibility previously assigned to His Excellency the President by the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) as champion for Women’s empowerment;
(b) The far-reaching effects of the Ebola epidemic, especially on women, girls and children and
(c) To showcase Sierra Leone’s gender empowerment policies and legislations covering five thematic areas:
Protection of women
Empowerment of women
Participation in Governance
Education of women and
Health care for women
The main highlights of the 26th Ordinary Session include but not limited to state of peace and security in Africa, consideration of various reports by the Chairperson, the respective committees of Heads of State and Government – Security Council reform; (accordingly the usual C-10 consultation will be held on 29 January), Climate Change; Post-2015 Development Agenda; New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and the Africa Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).
The Session will also discuss adoption of the Decisions and Declarations of the 26th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union.
Stay tuned for more on this and the activities of His Excellency President Dr Ernest Bai Koroma
