AU, UN to award women for role in Africa peace

Addis Ababa. The African Union (AU) has announced a joint AU-UN initiative to recognize outstanding African women for advancing women empowerment as well as peace and security agenda across Africa.

An award, which is part of a AU-UN initiative on women, peace and security initiative in Africa, is expected to be launched on the sidelines of the 33rd Ordinary Session of the assembly of the AU Summit, slated for February 2020 at the headquarters of the pan African bloc in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa, the AU said in a statement on Saturday.

The 55-member pan African bloc also on called for nominations of African women who have “exceptionally advanced the women, peace and security agenda in Africa” to take part in the high-level continental initiative, which is jointly organized by the AU Commission and the UN Office to the African Union (UNOAU).

The continental award is said to recognise “exceptional African women” advancing peace and security initiatives across the African continent.

The launching on Saturday is said to be aligned with the launch of the AU theme of the year 2020 on Silencing the Guns by 2020.

According to the AU, the initiative “reflects a greater partnership between the AU and the United Nations, marked by the signing of the UN-AU Joint Framework for Enhanced Partnership in Peace and Security in April 2017,” the statement read.

The award-winning women will also be featured in an upcoming commemorative book set to be launched next year, it was noted. (Xinhua)