Waiting of the RCC 2007

Encourage the full participation of the African Diaspora...

1- Plenary 1 : The African Diaspora in Europe :

The plenary should discuss the practical implications of the new Article 3 (q) of the African Union Constitutive Act, adopted in February 2003, which declares that the organisation shall "invite and encourage the full participation of the African Diaspora as an important part of our Continent, in the building of the African Union."

In this regard the plenary should inter alia focus on :

The composition and characteristics of the African Diaspora in Europe, the nature of a relationship between the Diaspora in Europe with the continent,

The consolidation of the Diaspora, and its structures and -processes to promote communication and co-operation with Africa,

A joint Africa-African Diaspora partnership and programme for sustainable development, including the desirability of a possible AU decision to declare the Diaspora as the Sixth Region of the continent,

The mechanisms to establish a representative Diaspora Secretariat/contact point/representative forum to co-ordinate activities of the Diaspora in Europe and the AU-Diaspora Programme of Action for Europe.

2- The Plenary 2 : Media and image building :

The plenary should explore mechanisms for the sustained engagement of the media and for effective communication in Europe to promote a balanced view of Africans and the continent. In this regard the plenary should focus on :

Building a co-ordinated approach to monitoring and engaging the media in Europe,

Developing the capacity of the African media in Europe,

Building partnerships between the African media and media groups/organisations in the Diaspora,

Building a partnership with the AU and the media in Europe to profile African challenges, African initiatives, African leaders and African successes.