Opinion Article on Committee Session #4

AFRICAN UNION & PRESS CON

Wall Street Union

Upon entering the delegates appear to be already deep within a GSL. Afterward, the council is given time to read both working papers done by the two blocks within the African Union council. One of which is done by Niger and their allies and the other by Egypt and allies. The first working paper read talks about how In-Kind contribution is an acceptable pay form and to apply a preventive approach to SEA which stands for Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. In a short interview, one of the delegates of Niger (Farkhan) states that their block will approach cases in two ways one being preventive measures while providing necessary guidelines which will lead to the send way being an action that will be taken through the process of investigation. While the other working paper focuses on strengthening existing systems within the African Union and on finding methods to ensure the independence of the AU financially.

When asked about what actions they will take against SEA, one of the delegates of Egypt (Ken Hana) states that they believe in the implementation of “Hybrid Courts” which have been used in South Sudan alongside strengthening the WGDD which is the Women, Gender, and Development Directorate. “Egypt believes that the committee, while it has been contentious so far, can work together to find an acceptable compromise,” the delegate of Egypt says while also adding that consensus is very important. They also hope that the outcome will reflect the uniqueness of each member state. During the press conference, the AU representatives were asked for further elaboration on their approach to SEA. The delegates of Chad state that their main focus is on the role of women and further employing them within task forces such as peacekeepers. They will also strive to improve accountability and add a cultural teaching process to prevent SEA. When it comes to ILO they stated that funding for the education programs mentioned will come in three tiers, for developed, developing and inadequate countries. This will come in the form of government budget, scholarships and sponsorships.