Eyole Monono

[African Union ECOSOCC @AU_ECOSOCC]

A fair and inclusive global order is possible. And Africa must help shape it.

This is the message we got from Mr. Kyeretwie Osei, the Head of Programmes at the ECOSOCC Secretariat. He called for a reimagined system that empowers societies to reach their full potential through justice, equity, and shared progress.

#ECF26
#GlobalGovernance
#Justice
#AfricanUnion

[African Union ECOSOCC @AU_ECOSOCC]

Citizens are not here to validate decisions, they are here to shape them.

This was a stark remark from Mr. @louischeicks, the ECOSOCC Presiding Officer, reminding Africa and the world that governance thrives when citizens’ perspectives guide leadership choices.

Participation is not a formality; it’s the foundation of democracy.

#ECF26
#CitizenVoice
#Governance
#ECOSOCC

[AGA-APSA Platform @AGA_Platform]

The Republic of #Cameroon takes a historic step forward in reinforcing democratic governance. The Secretariat of the @AGA_Platform wishes to announce the submission of Cameroon's report on the implementation of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance. #DGTrends

[African Union ECOSOCC @AU_ECOSOCC]

Knowledge is not only scientific. It’s human-centred too. Dr. Anika Altaf, Executive Director of @INCLUDEplatform highlighted this when she reminded us that the lived experiences of people are powerful data that can shape policies that truly serve communities.

Let’s value every voice as a source of wisdom.

#ECF26
#KnowledgeForAfrica
#Inclusion
#ECOSOCC

[African Union ECOSOCC @AU_ECOSOCC]

ECOSOCC and Amani Africa Partner to Advance Citizen Engagement and Policy Dialogue

The @AU_ECOSOCC and @africa_amani have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration in research, policy dialogue, citizen engagement and knowledge sharing on issues affecting the African continent.

The partnership seeks to combine ECOSOCC’s mandate of promoting #civilsociety participation in @AfricanUnion processes with Amani Africa’s expertise in research and analysis on peace and security, democratic governance, constitutionalism and Africa’s role in global affairs.

Under the agreement, the two institutions will collaborate on research and policy analysis, facilitate multi-stakeholder dialogues, and support initiatives that enhance citizens’ understanding and participation in AU policies and programmes.

The MoU provides for joint activities in areas including #peace and #security, conflict prevention, democratic #governance, #Agenda2063 implementation, capacity building and strategic communications aimed at amplifying African perspectives in regional and global #policy discussions.

The partnership will be implemented through joint workplans, knowledge exchange, policy forums, training initiatives and other mutually agreed activities to strengthen cooperation between the @_AfricanUnion and civil society actors.

The MoU was signed on 30 July 2026 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for ECOSOCC, by HoS, Ambassador @WilCarew and for Amani Africa Media and Research Services, by Founding Director, Dr. @SolomonADersso.

Through this collaboration, ECOSOCC and Amani Africa reaffirm their commitment to advancing inclusive policymaking, evidence-based dialogue and greater citizen participation in shaping #Africa’s #development agenda.

[African Union ECOSOCC @AU_ECOSOCC]

🎥 What does Pan-African Women's Day commemorate?!

Many people know July 31 as a day to celebrate African women, but its origins are less widely known. The day marks the founding of the Pan-African Women's Organization in 1962, when women from across Africa came together in solidarity to support the continent's liberation and advance women's rights.

That legacy continues through the leadership of women across #Africa and the African #diaspora who are strengthening communities, contributing to public life, and helping address the challenges that matter most to citizens.

This year, the @_AfricanUnion marks #PanAfricanWomensDay under the theme: "Women's Action for Safe Sanitation, Peaceful Communities, and Better Livelihoods."

Watch the video to learn more about the history behind this important day!

@AU_WGYD @AWLNetwork

#PAWD2026 #GenderEquality #Agenda2063

[African Union ECOSOCC @AU_ECOSOCC]

How can women and girls fully participate in Africa’s progress when opportunities for leadership, education, and innovation remain unequal?

Through our Voices of ECOSOCC Women campaign, we are sharing reflections from women members of @AU_ECOSOCC’s Permanent General Assembly ahead of Pan-African Women’s Day.

Amogelang Chikunyana, Chair of the ECOSOCC Human Resources, Science and Technology (HRST) Cluster, calls for continued investment in women’s leadership, #genderequality, and opportunities that allow every woman and girl to reach her full potential.

“As we commemorate Pan-African Women’s Day, we pay tribute to the women of Africa whose leadership, #innovation, and determination continue to advance the African Union’s vision of an inclusive, prosperous, and united continent.

Across #science, #education, #governance, #entrepreneurship, and communities, women continue to drive innovation, champion inclusion, and inspire transformative change. As the HRST Cluster of AU ECOSOCC, we reaffirm our commitment to advancing gender equality, investing in women’s leadership, and creating opportunities that enable every woman and girl to reach her full potential. Together, let us build an Africa where #equality is not an aspiration but a lived reality.

Happy Pan-African Women’s Day.”

#PanAfricanWomensDay #VoicesOfECOSOCCWomen #PAWD2026 #Agenda2063

[African Union ECOSOCC @AU_ECOSOCC]

The 49th Ordinary Session of the @_AfricanUnion Executive Council concluded yesterday in Addis Ababa, #Ethiopia 🇪🇹, bringing together Ministers of Foreign Affairs and other designated Ministers from AU Member States to consider key continental priorities.

Civil society organizations should pay attention to the issues discussed during the session, including #Agenda2063 implementation, AU institutional #governance and accountability, financing for continental institutions, the ratification and implementation of AU treaties, Africa’s global engagement, #health priorities through @AfricaCDC and the African Medicines Agency, and the implementation of the 2026 AU Theme of the Year on sustainable #water availability and safe #sanitation systems.

These discussions provide important context for #civilsociety organizations working to engage with African Union processes, monitor continental commitments, and connect community experiences with policy conversations at the regional and continental levels.

Read the full press release of the 49th Ordinary Session to follow the African Union’s ongoing work: https://t.co/gi344NI23s

#MYCM

[African Union ECOSOCC @AU_ECOSOCC]

The 49th Ordinary Session of the @_AfricanUnion Executive Council began today at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, #Ethiopia 🇪🇹 bringing together representatives of AU Member States to consider key reports, policies, and recommendations of the Union.

@AU_ECOSOCC is participating in the session in line with its mandate as the African Union’s advisory organ for civil society. Established under the AU Constitutive Act, ECOSOCC provides a platform for African #civilsociety to contribute advice, recommendations, and perspectives to AU policy processes while strengthening engagement between citizens and continental institutions.

During the session, ECOSOCC will engage with Member States and follow discussions on issues affecting Africa’s development and governance, ensuring that civil society perspectives inform AU decision-making.

#MYCM #TheVoiceOfTheAfricanCitizenry #Agenda2063

[African Union ECOSOCC @AU_ECOSOCC]

Our Voices of ECOSOCC Women campaign continues with another voice from @AU_ECOSOCC’s Permanent General Assembly as we count down to Pan-African Women’s Day on July 31!

Here's a message from Winnie Tomonkoua, Chair of the ECOSOCC Women & Gender Cluster:

“On the occasion of Pan-African Women’s Day, I celebrate the resilience, courage, and leadership of African women who continue to shape our continent. Despite challenges, they drive economic growth, strengthen communities, promote innovation, and contribute to sustainable development. Their strength inspires change and their leadership builds the future of Africa. Let us invest in women’s empowerment, #education, and equal participation in decision-making spaces.”

#PanAfricanWomensDay #VoicesOfECOSOCCWomen #PAWD2026 #GenderEquality #Agenda2063

[African Union ECOSOCC @AU_ECOSOCC]

“The @_AfricanUnion belongs not only to its Member States, but also to its citizens.”

Closing the 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣ ECOSOCC Citizens’ Forum, Ambassador @WilCarew, Head of the ECOSOCC Secretariat, reflected on two days of discussions on Africa’s role in a changing global order.

From @UN Security Council reform and #ClimateJustice to global financial reform, reparative justice, and digital sovereignty, participants confronted the systems shaping #Africa’s present and future.

Amb. Carew highlighted key priorities emerging from the Forum, including strengthening African-led financial institutions, addressing debt challenges, advancing an African climate “situation room” ahead of #COP31, developing civic #education initiatives, and ensuring artificial intelligence serves as a tool for African development rather than a #technology imposed from outside.

He reaffirmed that the Forum’s recommendations will not remain in Addis Ababa. They will be consolidated and transmitted to relevant AU policy organs, informing ECOSOCC’s advisory submissions and engagement at continental and global platforms.

“The outcome of this forum will not remain in this room,” he said, emphasizing that the real measure of success will be the action that follows.

Amb. Carew also highlighted ECOSOCC’s evolving mechanisms for citizen participation, including National Chapters, the Diaspora Engagement Framework, the Harmonized Accreditation Mechanism, and the ECOSOCC Connect digital platform.

Quoting an African proverb, he reminded participants: “Until the lion learns how to write, every story will glorify the hunter.”

The task ahead, he stressed, is for citizens and #civilsociety to carry these conversations into communities, institutions, and decision-making spaces.

🤝🏾 “If we are to achieve the dreams of #Agenda2063 and realize #TheAfricaWeWant, we have to work in partnership, collaborate, and keep track of the progress we make.”

📍Addis Ababa, #Ethiopia 🇪🇹

#ECF26 #ECOSOCCECF2026 #TheVoiceOfTheAfricanCitizenry #AUTOTY2026 #YearOfWaterAndSanitation #Democracy

[African Union ECOSOCC @AU_ECOSOCC]

#HappeningNow: Panel 5: Reparative Justice for Africans and People of African Descent at the 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣ECOSOCC Citizens Forum!

This session will examine #Africa's #reparations agenda in light of growing global momentum for reparative justice, focusing on recognition, restitution, #accountability, #diaspora engagement, and historical #justice.

Discussions will explore how #civilsociety, #PanAfrican institutions, and diaspora movements can turn global commitments into sustained #advocacy and #policy action.

Panelists:
🔷Dr. Ebrima Sall, Executive Director, @TrustAfrica
🔷Rt. Revd. Bishop Rose N. A. Okeno, @AaccCeta
🔷Mr. @Makmid, Founder & CEO, @reforminitiate
🔷Ambassador @Aljowaily, Director, @AUC_CIDO
🔷Ms. Ruth Ogbewekon, Project Lead -Reparatory Justice, @LawyersofAfrica

Moderator:
Mr. Kyeretwie Osei, Head of Programmes, @AU_ECOSOCC

📍Addis Ababa, #Ethiopia 🇪🇹

#ECF26 #ECOSOCCECF2026 #TheVoiceOfTheAfricanCitizenry #AUTOTY2026 #YearOfWaterAndSanitation #Democracy

[African Union ECOSOCC @AU_ECOSOCC]

"It is not enough to invite me if you are not going to listen to me!"

At the 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣ #ECOSOCCCitizensForum, Ms. @dadimadzima, Executive Director of @RozariaConnects and @GimacNetwork Young Women's Cluster Lead, argued that meaningful participation goes beyond consultation.

Young women, she said, must be "co-writers, co-owners of budgets and part of accountability mechanisms."

She also called for simpler policy communication, greater digital access for rural young women, and #youth-led funding, stressing that participation without influence or resources cannot deliver meaningful change.

📍Addis Ababa, #Ethiopia 🇪🇹

#ECF26 #ECOSOCCECF2026 #TheVoiceOfTheAfricanCitizenry #AUTOTY2026 #YearOfWaterAndSanitation #Democracy

[African Union ECOSOCC @AU_ECOSOCC]

#HappeningNow: Panel 4: AI Governance, Digital Sovereignty, and Africa's Digital Future at the 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣ ECOSOCC Citizens Forum!

This session will explore #AI governance, digital sovereignty, #data #governance, and digital public #infrastructure, with a focus on building inclusive, resilient, and people-centred digital ecosystems.

Discussions will examine how #Africa can strengthen regulatory frameworks and harness emerging technologies in line with the AU Digital Transformation Strategy, #Agenda2063, the #SDGs, and global efforts on responsible AI and digital cooperation.

Panelists:
🔷Ms. Anika Altaf, Executive Director, @INCLUDEplatform
🔷Dr. Eyole Monono, ECOSOCC Political Affairs Cluster Chair
🔷Ms. @sabatikubeyene, Independent AI Researcher and AI Policy Fellow, @theCAIDP

Moderator:
Ms. Dangnan Abra - Associate Director, Advocacy for Policy and Innovation (API)

📍Addis Ababa, #Ethiopia 🇪🇹

#ECF26 #ECOSOCCECF2026 #TheVoiceOfTheAfricanCitizenry #AUTOTY2026 #YearOfWaterAndSanitation #Democracy

[African Union ECOSOCC @AU_ECOSOCC]

How are African civil society organizations strengthening democracy beyond election day?

At the 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣ #ECOSOCCCitizensForum, Dr. Eyole Monono, ECOSOCC Political Affairs Cluster Chair, and Mr. Kyeretwie Osei, Head of Programmes, ECOSOCC, announced an upcoming call for contributions for a book on “Civil Society and Democratic Resilience in Africa: Building Trust, Legitimacy and Citizens’ Ownership of Electoral Governance.”

The publication will document the experiences, innovations and contributions of #civilsociety organizations working across #Africa’s electoral #governance landscape. It will explore areas including civil society engagement throughout the electoral cycle, #technology and emerging challenges, inclusion of #women, #youth and persons with disabilities, country and regional experiences, and future directions for democratic governance.

Civil society organizations are doing critical work across the continent, but much of it remains undocumented. The initiative aims to create a platform for organizations to share their experiences and ensure these contributions inform future conversations on democratic resilience in Africa.

The call for contributions will open soon, with the final publication expected to be presented at the 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣7️⃣ ECOSOCC Citizens’ Forum!

📍Addis Ababa, #Ethiopia 🇪🇹

#ECF26 #ECOSOCCECF2026 #TheVoiceOfTheAfricanCitizenry #AUTOTY2026 #YearOfWaterAndSanitation #Democracy

[African Union ECOSOCC @AU_ECOSOCC]

🔴 We're live!

The 2026 ECOSOCC Citizens' Forum is now underway in Addis Ababa, #Ethiopia 🇪🇹!

Follow the Opening Ceremony as leaders and stakeholders examine #Africa's role in a world in transition, with discussions on global governance reform, climate justice, reparative justice, debt reform, and AI governance.

#ECF26 #ECOSOCCECF2026 #TheVoiceOfTheAfricanCitizenry #AUTOTY2026 #YearOfWaterAndSanitation #Democracy

[African Union ECOSOCC @AU_ECOSOCC]

H.E. Ambassador @FSijilmassi connected #climatejustice, digital sovereignty, reparative justice, and #humanrights to a single principle: citizen-centered multilateralism.

He noted that #Africa contributes least to global emissions yet suffers disproportionately from climate impacts, while #AI and digital technologies are becoming a new frontier of sovereignty.

He stressed that reforms must be measured by their impact on ordinary people and concluded with a message about the role of civil society:

“#CivilSociety is not the audience of the reform, but it’s author.”

He added that the Forum’s outcome document must become “a mandate for action” carried into @_AfricanUnion institutions and Member States and answered with accountability.

📍2026 ECOSOCC Citizens' Forum | Addis Ababa, #Ethiopia 🇪🇹

#ECF26 #ECOSOCCECF2026 #TheVoiceOfTheAfricanCitizenry #AUTOTY2026 #YearOfWaterAndSanitation #Democracy

[African Union ECOSOCC @AU_ECOSOCC]

#HappeningNow: The 2026 ECOSOCC Citizens' Forum in Addis Ababa, #Ethiopia 🇪🇹!

On the agenda:

• Reforming global #governance and advancing #Africa's call for @UN Security Council reform
• #Debt #justice, sustainable financing and equitable economic governance
• #ClimateJustice, resilience and a just energy transition
• Reparative justice for Africans and people of African descent
• #AI governance, digital sovereignty and Africa's digital public infrastructure

Follow along!

#ECF26 #ECOSOCCECF2026 #TheVoiceOfTheAfricanCitizenry #AUTOTY2026 #YearOfWaterAndSanitation #Democracy #Reparations

[African Union ECOSOCC @AU_ECOSOCC]

#HappeningNow at the 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣ ECOSOCC Citizens' Forum: Panel 1 - Reimagining Global Governance and @UN Security Council Reform!

At a time when the world is facing deep geopolitical tensions, rising conflicts, #climate shocks, #debt distress, technological disruption, and growing mistrust in multilateral institutions, #Africa’s voice in global decision-making has become more urgent than ever.

This session examines Africa’s demand for a fairer and more representative global #governance system, with specific focus on UN Security Council reform, #equity, legitimacy, #accountability, and the need to correct historical imbalances in global power structures. It also explores how African citizens, #civilsociety, AU Member States, regional institutions, and global partners can work together to advance a more inclusive, democratic, and people-centred multilateral order.

Panelists:
Dr. Eyole Monono, ECOSOCC Political Affairs Cluster Chair
Ms. @kimpoolemusic,Performing Artivist and Executive Director, Teaching Artist Institute
Ms. @Sandra_Oder, Executive Director at @TheWIPCentre
Amb. Maureen Adhiambo Achieng, Permanent Representative of @IGADsecretariat to the @_AfricanUnion

Moderator: Mr. @BriggsBomba, Programs Director for @TrustAfrica

📍Addis Ababa, #Ethiopia 🇪🇹

#ECF26 #ECOSOCCECF2026 #TheVoiceOfTheAfricanCitizenry #AUTOTY2026 #YearOfWaterAndSanitation #Democracy

[African Union ECOSOCC @AU_ECOSOCC]

ECF2026 : Africa’s Voice in GlobPanel 1: Reimagining Global Governance and UN Security Council Reform and Panel 2: Climate Action and a Just Energy Transitional Governance and Climate Action: A Two-Panel Dialogue - https://t.co/PJI1ZsBvxz