LAGOS, Nigeria (PAMACC News) - TROPICAL Wood Exporters Association of Nigerian (TWEAN) in partnership with thirteen state governments has commenced moves to regenerate the nation’s forests. The exporters have adopted a policy of planting seven trees for every tree that is cut, which is higher that the Nigerian government's policy of plating two trees for every tree that is felled. Disclosing this to PAMACC News Agency in Lagos, TWEAN Secretary General, Mr. Joseph Odiase said that the group in collaboration with some state governments have embarked on massive forestation programme with a view to arresting the menace of deforestation. Odiase said that between Ogun and Ekiti states in Southwest Nigeria, the group has acquired over 1,000 hectares of land for tree planting. The group scribe hinted that Osun, Kogi,Kwara, Taraba, Benue, Edo, Akwa-Ibom Jigawa, Katsina, Niger, Oyo and Ondo states were in discussions with exporters to create tree farms in the states. He explained that wood exporters are ready and willing to partner with the federal government to ensure that the effect of climate change in Nigeria was reduced to barest minimum. Besides wood exporters, the Processed Wood Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria is also deeply involved in the forest regeneration drive. He explained that issue of deforestation is the concern of every Nigerian adding that wood exporters will support government in the move to regenerate the nation’s forest. “We must protect and preserve the forest for the present and future generations because these forests also help in the sustenance and preservation of the environment. “We are working with the Ministry of Environment as they have promised to provide technical support when it is needed “In as much as our businesses are important to us, we cannot jeopardize the environment for economic gains because we are not the only ones operating in the nation’s economy. “We will not only abide with the government policy of planting two trees for every one cut, we are also embarking on a massive forest cultivation programme.

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (PAMACC News) - During the 28th Ordinary Summit of the African Union which concluded on 31st January at the African Union Headquarters, elections for the Bureau of the Chairperson, The Deputy Chairperson and Commissioners were held as well as appointment of members to the African Union Advisory Board on Corruption ,the appointment of judges of the African Court on Human and People’s Rights (AfCHPR) and appointment a member of the African Union Commission on International Law (AUCIL). Chairperson of the African Union Commission H.E Mr. Faki Moussa Mahamat (Chad) Deputy Chairperson H.E. Mr. Thomas Kwesi Quartey (Ghana) Commissioner for Peace and Security H.E. Mr. Smail Chergui (Algeria) Commissioner for Political Affairs H.E. Ms. Minata Cessouma Samate (Burkina Faso) Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy H.E. Ms. Amani Abou-Zeid (Egypt) Commissioner for Social Affairs H.E. Ms. Amira Mohammed Elfadil (Sudan) Commissioner for Trade and Industry H.E. Mr. Albert M. Muchanga (Zambia) Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture H.E. Ms. Correa Leonel Josefa Sacko (Angola) The Commissioners for Economic Affairs and Human Resources Science and Technology will be communicated at a later date. The appointed Members of the African Union Advisory Board on Corruption are: Mr. Begoto Miarom (Chad), Mr. John Kithome Tuta (Kenya), Mr. Paulus Kalomho (Namibia), Ms. Florence Ziyambi (Zimbabwe), Mr. Pascal Bamouni (Burkina Faso), Mr. Daniel Batidam (Ghana) and Ms. Elisabeth Gnansounou Fourn (Benin). The appointed judges of the African Court on Human and People’s Rights (AFCHPR) are Ms. Chafika Bensaoula from Algeria and Ms. Rose Tujilane Chizumila from Malawi The appointed member of the African Union Commission on International law is Ms. Kathleen Quartey Ayensu from Ghana.

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (PAMACC News) - The 28th Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU), officially opened today at the headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with a strong call for unity to uphold the maintenance of peace and stability in the continent.The Nelson Mandela plenary hall was full to capacity with delegates and special invitees coming to witness the important event. They heard from distinguished speakers who took their turn on the podium to enlighten the world on the progress made so far in the continent and some of the challenges that Africa faces, as well as proposals for the way forward.The event this year is holding under the AU theme: “Harnessing the Demographic Dividend through Investments in the Youth”. The outgoing Chairperson of the Union, President Idriss Deby Itno of the Republic of Chad declared open the official ceremony of the 28th AU summit before handing over the baton of command to the newly elected Chairperson of the African Union, H.E Alpha Conde, President of the Republic of Guinea who in his acceptance speech said “ It is with honor and humility that I accept to preside at the destiny of our Organisation during the year 2017 and I promise to ensure that we implement all the objectives we have set to achieve during this period with the view to enhance the development of our continent ”. Meanwhile, outgoing Chair President Deby wished a happy new year 2017 to all the delegations and invited guests while underscoring the need to continuously preserve peace, stability and prosperity in the continent. He expressed his appreciation to H.E Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the AU Commission and her team including the Commissioners and staff of the AUC, for the support given to him during his mandate as Chair of the Union. He commended the Commission and the Government of Ethiopia for the successful organisation of the 28th AU Summit. On the other hand, President Idriss Deby warmly welcomed the newly elected Presidents of the Gambia, Ghana, Sao-Tome and Principe and Seychelles, who worn through a democratically electoral process organized in their respective countries. He also warmly welcomed H.E Mr. Mahamoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine and the new UN Secretary General, Mr. Antonio Guterres to Africa, wishing him success in his new functions and reiterates the support of the African people to the UN given that “Africa has found in Mr. Guterres a sincere, committed and sensible person who will stop at nothing to address the issues currently faced by the continent”. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 28th Summit of the African Union, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) warmly welcome to the UN Secretary on his first AU Summit in this capacity. “We appreciate the appointment of our sister Amina J. Mohamed of Nigeria as Deputy Secretary General of the UN, and congratulate her on this new responsibility”, underlined the AUC…

ABUJA, Nigeria (PAMACC News) - Ahead of the upcoming 28th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Unionholding 30th and 31st January 2017 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW)has activated the online portal of the continent’s water sector and sanitation reporting system. The new Pan African Monitoring and Reporting System serves as a platform to report progress on theimplementation of the AU Heads of States and Government Sharm el Sheikh Commitments to accelerate theachievement of the Africa Water Vision 2025, as well as the global high level political commitments on theSustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on water and sanitation. Considered as one of the most ambitiousattempts at tracking sectoral progress, the system represents Africa’s readiness to learn from past mistakes inmonitoring the implementation of the MDGs as well as efforts being made to attain Africa’s Agenda 2063. Speaking on the successful activation, the AMCOW President and Minister for Water and Irrigation, Tanzania,Engr. Gerson Lwenge stated “The AMCOW Monitoring and Reporting System helps to address Africa’slongstanding challenges in producing harmonised water and sanitation monitoring data”. Engr. Lwenge recalledthat lack of credible national and regional water sector and sanitation monitoring and reporting systems in Africawas widely recognised as a critical constraint to making informed policy and investments decisions on thedevelopment and effective use of water resources and sanitation in the continent”. Commenting, the AUCommissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, Rhoda Peace Tumusiime said “ongoing actions such as thisensures Africa’s readiness to monitor and report on progress towards achieving the SDGs while providing agreat opportunity to establish baselines not just for the global indicator framework, but also for the Africancommitments for which efforts to monitor progress towards attainment are constrained by the lack of baselinedata.” The System developed by the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) working with the Commission ofthe African Union captures the harmonised monitoring and reporting indicators for the continent and links withother global monitoring and reporting processes. The AMCOW Executive Secretary, Dr Canisius Kanangirebelieves “the system provides African Member States an opportunity to own and manage the water sector andsanitation data”. Dr Kanangire reiterated that the issue of water sector and sanitation monitoring and reportinggained momentum in July 2008 with the AU Sharm El-Sheikh Declaration requesting AMCOW to report annuallyon the state of the continent’s water resources and sanitation” to the Summit. The web-based Reporting system was developed with funding from the African Water Facility (AWF), andsupported by the M&E Task Force, the German Cooperation as well as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation(BMGF) and with technical assistance from UNEP-DHI. The highlight of the portal which can be accessed athttp://www.africawat-sanreports.org is the 2016 Status Report of 42 African member statessubmitted using an online reporting framework. It also contains the 2013 and 2014 data submitted by MemberStates using a temporary paper based template. The system which serves as database on water and sanitation for Member States in Africa is expected topromote cross-sector learning and knowledge dissemination within the water, sanitation, food, energy andclimate nexus while…