DECISION ON AFRICAN CANDIDATURES WITHIN THE
INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM
Doc. EX.CL/1216(XXXVI)
The Executive Council,
A. TAKES NOTE of the Report of the Ministerial Committee on African Candidatures within the International System;
B. ENDORSES:
(i) For re-election to the post of President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) for the period 2020-2025, during the election scheduled for May 2020 in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, the candidature of:
• Dr. Akinwunmi A. Adesina of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
(ii) For election as Member of the Committee for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), during the election scheduled for 29 June 2020 in New York, USA, the candidatures of:
• Ms. Hilary Amesika Gbedemah of the Republic of Ghana.
• Mme. Aicha Vail Verges of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania.
(iii) For election as Member of the United Nations Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) for the period of 2021-2023, during the election scheduled for November 2019 in New York, USA, the candidatures of:
• Mr. Nabil Kalkoul of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria
• Mr. Abdallah Bachar Bong of the Republic of Chad.
(iv) For re-election as Member of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) for the period of 2022-2024 during the election scheduled for April 2020 in New York, USA, the candidatures of:
Dr. Mohamed Ezzeldin of the Arab Republic of Egypt.
• Prof. Sandra Liebenberg of the Republic of South Africa.
(v) For election as Member of the United Nations Human Rights Committee for the period of 2021-2024, during the election scheduled for June 2020 in New York, USA, the Candidatures of:
Mrs. Wafaa Bassim of the Arab Republic of Egypt Mr. Imeru Tamrat Yigezu of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
• Mr. Koita Bamariam of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania
(vi) For Election as member of the United Nations Human Rights Council
for the period 2021-2023, during the election scheduled for February 2020, in New York, USA the candidatures of:
• Republic of Malawi;
• Republic of Senegal;
• One seat to be filled by the Central Region.
(vii) For election to the post of Judge at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the period 2021-2030, during the election scheduled for December 2020 during the Assembly of State Parties to the Rome Statute, in New York, USA, the candidature of:
• Mr Gberdao Gustave Kam of Burkina Faso; or
• Ms. Miatta Maria Samba of the Republic of Sierra Leone;
(viii) For re-election as Member of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child for the period of 2021-2025, during the election scheduled for June 2020 in New York, USA, the candidatures of:
Dr. Benyam Dawit Mezmur of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.
Prof. Ann Marie Skelton of the Republic of South Africa
(ix) For election as Member of Nigeria’s National Group at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), during the election scheduled for February 2020, Hague, The Netherlands, the candidature of:
Mr. Abubakar Malami of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
(x) For election as member of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities for the period 2021-2024, during the election scheduled for June 2020 in New York USA the candidature of:
• Mrs. Soumia Amrani of the Kingdom of Morocco.
(xi) For election as Member of the Council of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) for the period of 2021-2024, during the election scheduled for July 2020 in Kingston, Jamaica, the candidature of:
• The Republic of Mauritius.
(xii) For election as Vice President of the Postal Operations Council of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), during the election scheduled for September 2020 at the 27th Session of UPU Congress in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, the candidature of:
• The Kingdom of Morocco.
(xiii) For re-election as a Member of the United Nations International Law Commission for the period 2021-2025 during the election scheduled for September 2020 in New York, USA, the candidature of:
• Dr. Yacouba Cisse of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire.
(xiv) For election as Member of the Council of Administration of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) for the period 2020-2024, during the election scheduled for 2020 in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, the candidature of:
• The Kingdom of Morocco.
(xv) For election as the President of the Group of 77 Plus China, for the period 2021-2022, during the election scheduled for September 2020, in New York, USA, the candidature of:
• The Republic of Guinea.
(xvi) For re-election as member of the International Civil Service Commission of the United Nations for the period 2021-2024, during the election scheduled for November 2020 in New York, USA, the candidature of:
• Mr. Larbi Djacta of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria.
C. DECIDES to refer the matter of the candidature to the post of Judge at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to the Ministerial Committee on African Candidatures within the International System to urgently consider the three candidatures from Nigeria, Rwanda and Uganda with a view to endorse one African candidate for this post and to report directly to the Assembly before the end of the 33rd Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government.
D. REQUESTS, with regard to the revision of the rules of procedure of the Committee, the Commission to circulate the document to Members of the Committee and to receive their inputs by the end of February 2020, FURTHER REQUESTS the Commission to organize a retreat of the Committee to finalize the document and submit to the Specialized Technical Committee (STC) on Justice and Legal Affairs by the end March 2020 for consideration in readiness for adoption by the Executive Council during its mid-year session in July 2020.
E. REITERATES its decision EX.CL/1051 (XXXIV) that the Chairs of the African Groups, the Chairs of the Committees on Candidatures within African Groups and the relevant AU Permanent Representatives should participate in sessions of the Committee at all times.
F. COMMENDS Ambassadors of Member States of the Ministerial Committee on African Candidatures within the International System for setting up and operationalizing the Committee at Ambassadorial level in conformity with the Executive Council decision EX.CL/Dec.1067(XXXV).
G. RECALLS Decision EX.CL/Dec. 1072(XXXV) on the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director-General selection and endorses the candidates from Benin, Egypt and Nigeria) as the short list for the African candidates to the post of Director General of WTO and REQUESTS the Ministerial Committee on African Candidatures within the International System to consider the matter and report to the Executive Council’s 37th Ordinary session with a view to agreeing on a single African candidate.
H. COMMENDS the Republic of Sierra Leone and the Republic of Senegal for undertaking fruitful consultations in relation to the post of membership of the Human Rights Council for the period 2021-2023 resulting in a positive outcome wherein the Republic of Sierra Leone graciously withdraw in favor of the Republic of Senegal in the Spirit of solidarity and Pan-Africanism and encourages Member States to embrace this shared African values.
I. ENCOURAGES the Republic of Sierra Leone and Burkina Faso to continue consultations in respect of the post of Judge at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the period 2021-2030 with the view to agree on one common African candidate at the latest by July 2020.
J. REQUESTS the Secretariat of the Ministerial Committee on African Candidatures within the International System to stringently enforce the Rules of Procedures of the Committee particularly Rule 11 para. 2 and 3 of deadlines for submission of candidates and permissible conditions for late submissions.