African Union's 50th Permanent Representatives' Committee Session Begins, Setting Stage for Key Continental Priorities
The 50th Ordinary Session of the Permanent Representatives' Committee (PRC) kicked off on 9 June 2025, ahead of the 47th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council and the 7th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting (MYCM) between the African Union, the Regional Economic Communities and the Regional Mechanisms, scheduled to take place on 10- 13 July 2025, in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.
In her opening remarks delivered on behalf of AU Commission Chairperson H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Deputy Chairperson H.E. Selma Malika Haddadi emphasized the new leadership's dedication to enhancing collaboration with Member States, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and partners to propel Africa's integration, peace, and development forward. 'Our collective resolve must translate into tangible progress—on financing, integration, and justice. Africa's future depends on it,' stated H.E. Haddadi.
Amb. Haddadi underscored the new AUC leadership's key priorities, which include:
Enhanced Coordination and Efficiency: The AU Commission (AUC) aims to streamline workflows, align strategic priorities with Agenda 2063, and improve synergies between AU organs. A proposed PRC-AUC retreat later this year aims to foster deeper dialogue on institutional reforms.
Financial Sustainability: Amb. Haddadi emphasized the urgent need to address the AU's budgetary constraints, noting that only 17 Member States have implemented the 0.2% import levy (Kigali Decision). She called for collective action to meet the Johannesburg targets and reduce reliance on external funding.
Justice and Reparations: The 2025 AU theme, Justice and Reparations for Africans and People of African Descent, was emphasized as a cornerstone for addressing historical injustices and restoring dignity through global advocacy and policy action.
Upcoming Engagements: The AUC will actively support high-level meetings, including the Ministerial Meeting on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) Summit, to advance continental priorities.
The AUC Deputy Chairperson noted that the PRC will discuss key issues, among which are: the Report of the sub-committee on budget that includes the 2026 budget of the Union; Partnerships and the need to develop a strategy for all partnerships; and the Mid-term evaluation of the theme of the year 2025.
H.E. Selma Malika Haddadi concluded by reaffirming the AUC's unwavering support for the PRC's work and urged fruitful deliberations ahead of the July Executive Council meeting.
On his part, H.E. Amb. Prof. Miguel Bembe, Ambassador of the Republic of Angola to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union and Chairperson of the Permanent Representatives' Committee, in his opening speech, emphasized that the Permanent Representatives' Committee represents one of the strong pillars of the African Union and the guardian of political and technical consistency between high-level decision-making and the everyday realities of implementation in our Member States. 'It is our responsibility to ensure that processes are transparent, that methods are effective, and that outcomes reflect the spirit of Agenda 2063, 'The Africa We Want.' Our collective action must be guided by visionary pragmatism—one that addresses the urgencies of the present while courageously projecting solutions for the future,' said H.E. Amb. Prof. Miguel Bembe.
The official opening ceremony of the 50th Ordinary Session of the PRC was attended by the Deputy Chairperson of the Commission, the AU Commissioners, and Representatives from AU Organs and AU officials. The ambassadors will deliberate on different reports including: the activities of the PRC Sub-Committees; Reports of the AU Commission; the mid-term activity report of the theme of the year 2025 on Justice and Reparations for Africans and People of African Descent, and other reports from AU Organs and the AU Specialized Agencies, before adopting their report as well as the draft decisions of the 47th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union (AU).
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