Articles
MEMORANDUM on Africa section activities
1. As is the case every year, an AAPSO statement was issued on the occasion of the 25 MAY-AFRICA DAY. The statement was distributed to the press.
2. A meeting was held on September 8, 2003 at the AAPSO headquarters with His Excellency Mr. Muftah M. Zawam,
Executive Secretary, African Union Mission to Arab League. The Ambassador stressed the interest of the African Union to the non-governmental organizations.
3. The Head of Africa section represented AAPSO at the workshop organized by the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa, CODESRIA, in Cairo, from 27 to 28 September 2003. The workshop was organized by both CODESRIA and the Arab and African Research Centre (AARC). Report about the workshop had been done and distributed among the members of the Secretariat.
4. The head of Africa section was invited at a reception organized by the Nigerian Embassy to mark the National Day of Nigeria on 1st October.
5. The head of Africa section was also invited to attend a meeting at the headquarters of Egyptian Solidarity Committee to mark the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Egypt and Vietnam.
6. A meeting with His Excellency Mr. Kanunu Leyan'simbi M'Fumu Bertin, ambassador of the Democratic Republic of Congo, was held on October 30th upon the request of the Head of Africa section. The main objective was to inform the ambassador about AAPSO and to discuss the way to promote and maintain contact with Congolese civil society. An officer-consellor- of the Embassy had been mandated to follow-up the matter. Report about this meeting has been distributed among the members of the Secretariat.
7. Refering to the Comprehensive implementation and follow-up to the World Conference against Racism held in Durban, South Africa, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights had invited NGOs to provide complementary information to be forwarded to the Anti-Discrimination Unit in Geneva. An AAPSO statement was made in this respect and sent to the Unit.
8. On the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of the AFASPA (Association Française d' Amitié et de Solidarité avec les Peuples d'Afrique) an AAPSO message of congratulations was sent. It was stressed in the message that AFASPA had been and remains at the vanguard of those who militate in favor of a just and equitable cause for Africa, against domination, exploitation, oppression and discrimination.
9. An AAPSO statement expressing the view of AAPSO on the subject of Tourism and Peace was sent on November to the "Second IIPT (International Institute for Peace through Tourism) African Conference on Peace through Tourism" held in Dar-es-Salam, Tanzania, from 7 to 12 December 2003.
The same statement was sent to Ms Elizabeth le Roux, editor of AFRICA INSIGHT which published a special issue about Tourism in Africa.
10. The section has made a statement on the occasion of 10 December- Human Rights Day. The statement was distributed to the press.
11. In a bid to renew lost contact, a fax was sent to the Global Coalition for Africa based in Washington, USA. No reply from them so far.
12. The head of Africa section attended a meeting on Culture and Education in Egypt Working Group (CEEWG) at the Mubarak Public Library, on December 18, 2003.
EXPECTED FUTURE ACTIVITY: A seminar on African problems to be organized by AAPSO and the African Union. The possible date is to be explored.
