STORY: African Union to receive more

funding from member states

DURATION: 2:04
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LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/NATURAL SOUND
DATELINE: 08/12/2016, NAIROBI, KENYA
SHOT LIST
1.
Wide shot, conference participants from African Union,
AMISOM, Troop and Police Contributing Countries
2.
Med shot, Ambassador Francisco Madeira, the Special
Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union
Commission (SRCC) for Somalia and conference participants from
African Union, AMISOM, Troop and Police Contributing Countries
3.
Close up, Ambassador Francisco Madeira, the Special
Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union
Commission for Somalia
4.
Wide shot, conference participants from African Union,
AMISOM, Troop and Police Contributing Countries
5.
Med shot, conference participants from African Union,
AMISOM, Troop and Police Contributing Countries
6.
Close up, an official at the conference
7.
SOUNDBITE: ANTHONY OKARA, DEPUTY CHIEF OF
STAFF, AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION.
The Heads of State in January this year decided that this system
is not sustainable so they organized a retreat in Kigali and it was
decided that we shall introduce a new levy of 0.2 percent on all
eligible goods which will go a long way in creating our
independence and sustainability. We have since begun
implementing it.
8.
Wide shot, conference participants from African Union,
AMISOM, Troop and Police Contributing Countries
9.
Med shot, conference participants from African Union,
AMISOM, Troop and Police Contributing Countries
10. Med shot, conference participants from African Union,
AMISOM, Troop and Police Contributing Countries
11. Close up, an official at the conference

12. SOUNDBITE: ANTHONY OKARA, DEPUTY CHIEF OF

STAFF, AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION.
They (heads of state) detailed President Kagame to form a team
to undertake a comprehensive reform of the AU. President
Kagame has looked for eminent leaders around the continent and
constituted a team of 12 which is working very hard on the
reforms.
13. Wide shot, conference participants from African Union,
AMISOM, Troop and Police Contributing Countries
14. Med shot, conference participants from African Union,
AMISOM, Troop and Police Contributing Countries
15. SOUNDBITE: ANTHONY OKARA, DEPUTY CHIEF OF
STAFF, AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION.
Determination to clear the past audit findings and more
specifically to avoid in future similar cases remains our focus.
Risk evaluation should be embedded in each decision we make
before effecting resources of the Union. We shall also take the
opportunity to better coordinate the closing activities of the
financial year 2016.
16. Med shot, conference participants from African Union,
AMISOM, Troop and Police Contributing Countries
17. Med shot, conference participants from African Union,
AMISOM, Troop and Police Contributing Countries
18. Wide shot, conference participants from African Union,
AMISOM, Troop and Police Contributing Countries

African Union to receive more funding from member states

Nairobi, 8 December, 2016 - African Union member states have
begun implementing measures aimed at increasing funding for the
organization and reducing its reliance on donor aid.
One of the key measures being undertaken by member states to
ensure reliable funding for continental development and integration
programmes is the introduction of a new levy on eligible imports.
The announcement was made during the 2016 Annual Workshop for
African Union Liaison Offices Finance Officers and Heads of Mission
held in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

Speaking at the function, Anthony Okara, the Deputy Chief of Staff

at the African Union Commission, said the 0.2 percent levy on
eligible imports to African countries will enable member states take
charge of funding the organization.
The heads of state in January, this year, decided that this system
of funding is not sustainable, they organized a retreat in Kigali and it
was decided that we shall introduce a new levy of 0.2 percent on all
eligible goods which will go a long way in creating our independence
and sustainability. We have since begun implementing it, Mr. Okara
said at the meeting attended by the Special Representative of the
African Union Commission Chairperson (SRCC) for Somalia Francisco
Madeira among other dignitaries.
African Union, he added, has also begun engaging regional blocs
and finance ministers of member states to help speed up the
implementation of the levy.
Currently, only 40 percent of the African Unions budget is funded by
member states, with the balance coming from donors. It has made it
difficult for the organization to finance critical internal and external
activities, due to the unsustainability and unreliability of foreign
funding. However, once fully implemented, the levy will enable
member states to fully fund the functioning of the African Union
Commission and cover at least 75 percent of programmes.
Mr Okara observed that the heads of state also tasked Rwandan
President, Paul Kagame, to spearhead reforms aimed at improving
the functioning of the organization.
They (heads of state) detailed President Kagame to form a team to
undertake a comprehensive reform of the AU. President Kagame has
looked for eminent leaders around the continent and constituted a
team of 12 which is working very hard on the reforms, Mr. Okara
explained.
The official noted that the AU has implemented a number of
financial reforms, among them, Automated Standard Application for
Payments (ASAP) and the Quick Book System, to improve
accounting and reporting.
The two-day meeting also discussed ways of improving the financial
management of African Union Liaison Offices and peace support
operations.

Last September, at a meeting in Addis Ababa, finance ministers

agreed on the need to speed up the implementation of the AU
import levy to provide reliable and predictable funding for the
operational, programme and peace support operations budget of
the organization.
The ministers also urged the African Union Commission to continue
its financial management and accounting reforms to help enhance
transparency and accountability.
END.