PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
Togo: AU mobilises Togolese civil society to take part in ECOSOCC election
Lomé, Togo (PANA) – A senior official of the African Union Commission has urged the Togolese civil society to take part in the electoral process of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) of the African Union so that they can "qualitatively" represent their country in the important organ of the continental body.
Jalel Chelba, Chief of Civil Society Division at the Commission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, said that ECOSOCC carries the principle of democracy to its highest level and takes the grassroots to decision making level where its own elected leaders interface directly with political leaders.
Speaking here at the ECOSOCC Sensitization and Motivation Campaign, the AUC official explained that the AU provided for the establishment of the Council as a civil society organ that will take part directly in the policy making process of the Union.
The sensitization campaign, which brought together about 80 representatives of civil society organizations in Togo, aimed at encouraging them to take part in the forthcoming elections for the ECOSOCC General Assembly before the end of the year.
The Organ is composed of about 150 members including two representatives for each of the 54 AU Member States, five continental representatives, 10 sub-regional representatives, 20 members of the Diaspora and six nominated representatives for special interest groups.
Chelba said that the election will put in place the second ECOSOCC General Assembly following the expiration of the first Assembly that operated from 2008 to 2013.
-0- PANA FAA/BEH/MSA/AR 15Aug2014
Jalel Chelba, Chief of Civil Society Division at the Commission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, said that ECOSOCC carries the principle of democracy to its highest level and takes the grassroots to decision making level where its own elected leaders interface directly with political leaders.
Speaking here at the ECOSOCC Sensitization and Motivation Campaign, the AUC official explained that the AU provided for the establishment of the Council as a civil society organ that will take part directly in the policy making process of the Union.
The sensitization campaign, which brought together about 80 representatives of civil society organizations in Togo, aimed at encouraging them to take part in the forthcoming elections for the ECOSOCC General Assembly before the end of the year.
The Organ is composed of about 150 members including two representatives for each of the 54 AU Member States, five continental representatives, 10 sub-regional representatives, 20 members of the Diaspora and six nominated representatives for special interest groups.
Chelba said that the election will put in place the second ECOSOCC General Assembly following the expiration of the first Assembly that operated from 2008 to 2013.
-0- PANA FAA/BEH/MSA/AR 15Aug2014
