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The ����̽�� and African Union have held discussions in Addis Ababa on strengthening collaboration in trade advocacy, electoral support and women’s political leadership, among other areas.

Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General Deodat Maharaj called on HE Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, during a visit to the Ethiopian capital on Monday 16 March 2015.

Mr Maharaj and Dr Dlamini-Zuma explored how best to advance their organisations' shared fundamental political values and principles and to bolster developmental priorities in accordance with the Commonwealth Charter as well as the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which was endorsed at the AU Summit in January 2015.

The African Union has 54 member states, of which 18 are Commonwealth member countries.

Mr Maharaj said: "Our discussions focused on areas in which closer collaboration can be pursued between the Commonwealth and the African Union, for the benefit of our member states in Africa. We discussed the ����̽��’s trade advocacy at the global level, as well as practical interventions at the regional and national level to support the aspirations of Agenda 2063."

"We looked at how we can assist member countries to implement the recommendations of Commonwealth and African Union election observation missions. We also focused on the advancement of women’s political participation and leadership.”

Mr Maharaj stressed that both organisations are committed to making the best use of their analytical and technical expertise, and to share knowledge and experience, for the benefit of their membership.

The meeting in Addis Ababa followed a joint high-level dialogue in New York co-hosted by the ����̽�� and the African Union Commission on 13 March 2015 on the theme, ‘Beyond Numbers: Women’s political leadership in delivering democracy and development in Africa’. The African Union theme for 2015 is ‘Women’s empowerment and development towards Africa’s Agenda 2063’.

Mr Maharaj continued: “����̽�� and African Union are equally committed to assisting member countries achieve gender equality, and to promoting women's full and meaningful participation in society, in accordance with globally accepted international instruments." 

Other areas under discussion in Addis Ababa included the ����̽��'s debt management programme, ways to build resilience in small states, and how island and coastal nations can make the most of their ocean resources, also known as the ‘Blue Economy’.

In addition, Mr Maharaj met with the African Union Commission’s Commissioner for Political Affairs, Dr Aisha Abullahi, and officials from its Directorate of Strategic Policy Planning, Monitoring and Resource Mobilisation.