DECISION ON THE SPECIALIZED TECHNICAL COMMITTEES
The Executive Council,
1. TAKES NOTE of the Reports of the Specialised Technical Committees (STC) and the recommendations contained therein;
I. ON THE FIRST ORDINARY SESSION OF THE SPECIALIZED TECHNICAL COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORT, TRANSCONTINENTAL AND INTERREGIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE, ENERGY AND TOURISM (STC-TTIIET) - Doc. EX.CL/1024(XXXI)
2. COMMENDS:
i) the Ministers responsible for Transport, Energy and Tourism for the successful holding of the First meeting of their Specialised Technical Committee (STC) and achieving notable outcomes for the development of the transport, energy and tourism sectors in Africa;
ii) the Government and people of the Togolese Republic for the generous hosting of the historic event of the First Meeting of the AU Specialised Technical Committee (STC) on Transport, Transcontinental and Interregional Infrastructure, Energy and Tourism.
3. RECOGNIZES WITH APPRECIATION the Member States which have declared their Solemn Commitment to implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision towards the establishment of a Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) and urges all other Member States to subscribe to the Solemn Commitment to the SAATM.
4. REQUESTS the Commission to:
i) submit the Rules of Procedure of the Specialized Technical Committee on Transport, Transcontinental and Interregional Infrastructure, Energy and Tourism to the next Session of the STC on Justice and Legal Affairs for clearance and, thereafter, to the Executive Council for consideration;
ii) submit the Regulatory Texts of the Yamoussoukro Decision on the liberalisation of air transport markets in Africa to the next Session of the STC on Justice and Legal Affairs for clearance and, thereafter, to the Executive Council for consideration;
iii) disseminate the endorsed: (i) Report of the First Ordinary Meeting of the Specialised Technical Committee (STC) on Transport, Transcontinental and Interregional Infrastructure, Energy and Tourism (STC-TTIIET); (ii) the Lome Declaration of the STC-TTIIET; (iii) the African Union Plans of Action on Energy, Transport (Air, Maritime, Railway and Road), Tourism and PIDA; and (iv) the Windhoek Ministerial Declaration and Targets on Aviation Security Facilitation in Africa to all Member States and other stakeholders as well as facilitate their smooth implementation through capacity building measures whenever necessary;
iv) take all the necessary measures within its mandate in collaboration with the Regional Economic Communities, specialised institutions, Member States, international partners and other stakeholders to speed up the implementation of the African Union Plans of Action on Energy, Transport (Air, Maritime, Railway and Road), Tourism and PIDA a view to enhancing integration and socio-economic development of Africa;
v) ensure the elaboration and prioritisation of implementation of appropriate energy, transport, tourism and infrastructure programmes, including unlocking access to infrastructure for rural and remote areas, that are crucial for the successful achievement of the AU Agenda 2063 and the Global Agenda 2030.
5. APPEALS to the African Development Bank, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, the European Union, the World Bank and other development partners to support the implementation of the African Union Plans of Action on Energy, Transport (Air, Maritime, Railway and Road), Tourism and PIDA.
II. ON THE SECOND MEETING OF THE STC ON HEALTH POPULATION AND DRUG CONTROL, ADDIS ABABA, 20-24 MARCH 2017 - Doc. EX.CL/1025(XXXI)
6. DETERMINES to ensure that the Africa CDC is an African-owned institution that adds value to Public Health on the continent and is highly credible; ENDORSES that 0.5% of the AU annual operational budget be allocated to the Africa CDC for disease surveillance, detection and response;
7. EXPRESSES APPRECIATION to the Republic of Kenya for making voluntary donation of US$1 million and urged other Member States to make voluntary contribution to the Africa CDC;
8. REQUESTS the Commission to conduct one more round of continental consultations on the Draft Treaty and implementation of the milestones towards the establishment of the African Medicine Agency (AMA); and submit the Draft Treaty to a meeting of the Ministers of Health, as a Working Group of the STC- HPDC-2 for onward transmission to the STC on Justice Legal Affairs;
9. ENDORSES the recommendation on the establishment of a Fund for African Pharmaceutical Development (FAP-D) and REQUESTS the Commission and the NEPAD Agency to establish a Technical Working Group to define the modalities, scope of work, legal and institutional implications of a Fund; and to seek support of the STC on Finance, Monetary Affairs, Economic Planning and Integration; and the STC on Trade, Minerals and Industry for the establishment, funding and implementation of the Fund.
10. RECOMMENDS to the Assembly the adoption of the attached draft “Declaration on Accelerating the Implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR) in Africa”.
III. ON THE REPORT OF THE SECOND ORDINARY SESSION OF SPECIALIZED TECHNICAL COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT OF THE AFRICAN UNION - Doc. EX.CL/1026(XXXI)
11. RECOMMENDS the draft Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’ Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities for onward transmission to the STC on Justice and Legal Affairs and adoption by the Assembly of the Union;
12. URGES Member States to sign and ratify the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Older Persons in Africa to expeditiously reap the demographic dividend of the contributions of this important population group;
13. REQUESTS the Commission
i) in collaboration with the African Development Bank (AfDB), ILO and UNECA to define the modalities, scope of work, legal and institutional implications of the Employment and Social cohesion Fund and to seek the support of the STC on Finance, Monetary Affairs, Economic Planning and Integration for the establishment, funding and implementation of the Fund;
ii) to review the implementation of the AUC/AfDB/ILO/ECA Joint Initiative on Youth Employment to be in line with the AU Roadmap on the Demographic Dividend and incorporate the new AfDB Strategy on Youth Employment in Africa.
14. ACCEPTS the offer by the Republic of Guinea to host the Third Ordinary Session of the Specialized Technical Committee in April 2019;
15. RECOMMENDS the Algiers Declaration on Investment in Employment and Social Security for Harnessing the Demographic Dividend for adoption by the Assembly.