AU defines agreement between it and African ombudsmen

AU defines agreement between it and African ombudsmen

The African Union says the cooperation agreement between the Association of African Ombudsmen or Mediators (AOMA) and itself, (AU), signed on October 21 in Addis Ababa, is aimed at defining instruments of intervention.

The chairman of the AU Executive Commission, Jean Ping and that of AOMA Angolan Paulo Tjipilica made this definition.

The role

With the agreement AOMA serves as an observer into the activities of member states of the AU.

Tjipilica revealed that in spite of official accreditation of AOMA on September 13 as observer member of the AU, a post occupied by Sudan’s Ombundsman, Justice Ahmed Adzeid, AOMA's role in the AU had now been defined with this protocol.

National reconciliation

The agreement includes intervention in areas related to peace and security, good governance, mediation in conflicts, observation of elections, among other sectors.

On the planned elections in Angola, scheduled for the third quarter of 2012, Tjipilica said it was a demonstration of consolidation of democracy in the country and the reinforcement of national reconciliation.

PANA/Shakira/Williams