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The 23rd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council will officially open today at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

According to the program of the 23rd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council, the Ministers of External Affairs and other ministers or authorities designated by the governments of AU Member States will deliberate in closed session, on the different reports of the ministerial meetings organised by the AU Commission during the last six months.  They will consider the activity report of the Commission; the recommendations of the PRC on the implementation of previous Decisions of the Executive Council and the Assembly; and the report of the ministerial committee on candidatures.

The Executive Council will also consider the report of the Commission on the situation in Western Sahara submitted in pursuance of the deliberations of the 22nd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council on the matter; as well as the report of the Commission on the Implementation of the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa (SDGEA).

The Ministers will further deliberate on the reports of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP); the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) ; the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC); the Economic, Social and Cultural Council of the Union (ECOSOCC); the Activities of the African Union Advisory Board against Corruption and the report on the Activities of the African Union Commission on International Law (AUCIL),  before embarking on the consideration of items proposed by Member States.

One of the highlights of the Executive Council meeting will be the election of four (4) Members of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR)  and four (4) members of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC).

The Ministers will submit their report to the 21st Ordinary Session of the African Union Heads of State and Government scheduled to take place on 26 and 27 May 2013, for adoption.

For more information about the AU Summit, consult the AU website: www.au.int