7TH SESSION OF THE AFRICAN FIRST LADIES PEACE MISSION, ABUJA: 24-27 JULY, 2012 COMMUNIQU The 7th

Summit of the African First Ladies Peace Mission (AFLPM), was held in Abuja, Nigeria from 24-27 July 2012 under the Presidency of Her Excellency Dame, (Dr) Patience Goodluck Jonathan, First Lady, Federal Republic of Nigeria. 2. And The Summit was attended by: H.E. Dame (Dr.) Patience Goodluck Jonathan, First Lady of Nigeria and President of the AFLPM H.E. Mme Chantal de Souza Yayi, First Lady of Republic of Benin H.E. Mrs Monique Bozize Yangouvonda, First Lady of Central African Republic H.E. Mrs Denis Sassou Nguesso, First Lady of Republic of Congo Brazaville H.E. Prof. Khadija Hamdi, First Lady of Sahrawi A.D.R H.E. Mrs. Marieme Faye Sall, First Lady of Senegal H.E. Mrs. Sia Nyama Koroma, First Lady of Sierra Leone H.E. Mrs. Nompumelelo Zuma, First Lady of South Africa H.E. Princess Tsandzile, First Lady of Swaziland H.E. Mrs. Salma Kikwete, First Lady of Tanzania H.E. Madame Patricia Ahoussou, Wife of the First Prime Minister of Cote D voire H.E. Hajia Amina Sambo, Wife of the Vice President of Nigeria H.E. Mme Solange Iriga Quedraogo, Wife of President, ECOWAS Commission Representatives of the First Ladies of: Algeria Botswana Burkina Faso Burundi Cameroun Chad Cape Verde Democratic Republic of Congo Equitorial Guinea Republic of Ethiopia
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- Gabon - The Gambia - Ghana (delegation registered but couldnt attend because of the sudden death of their President) - Guinea - Kenya - Liberia - Namibia - Niger - Rwanda - Sudan - Zambia 3. The representatives of the following Organizations also participated in the opening ceremony of the Summit as Special Guests: African Union Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) UNAIDS UNDP Japanese International Cooperation Agency RAND Corporation 4. The Summit was declared open by H.E. Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. H.E. Mrs. Joyce Banda, President of the Republic of Malawi delivered the keynote address. Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, MFR, Foreign Minister of Nigeria delivered a welcome address. Goodwill messages were also received from the following dignitaries: i. ii. iii. iv. H.E. Amb. Ramtane Lamamra Commissioner for Peace and Security, African Union H.E. H.E. Mrs. Kadre Ouedraogo Spouse of the President of ECOWAS Commission H.E. Dr. Michel Sidibe (represented) UN Under Secretary General/Executive Director UNAIDS H.E. Mrs. Jeannine Ping (represented) Spouse of the Chairperson, African Union Commission

5. The theme of the Summit was The African Woman A Voice for Peace. The Summit listened to a presentation by the RAND Corporation 6. The Summit reviewed the conflict situations on the continent since the last meeting and noted with grave concern the multifaceted impact of the conflicts on lives and properties across Africa. Majority of the victims of these conflicts are women and children. 7. The First Ladies highlighted the critical role African Women have continued to play in the socio-economic development of Africa. They stressed that the role of African women in the upkeep of the family as wives and mothers hold the key for breaking the vicious circle of conflict and poverty, thereby serving as catalyst for peace and development in Africa. 8. The Summit noted with regret, the inability of African women to use their great potentials for the prevention and resolution of incessant conflicts on the continent, severely limited by local customs, traditions and other discriminatory practices, in particular, early marriage, poor education, lack of entrepreneurial skills, low income, low participation in politics and limited access to leadership positions. 9. The Summit called for the removal of all barriers against women in order to unleash their full potential in resolving conflicts and promoting peace in Africa. 10. The First Ladies reiterated the need, at the national and subregional levels, to enhance the role of women in the process of prevention, management and resolution of conflicts and in promoting a culture of durable peace in Africa. They underscored the necessity to deploy strategies and mechanisms contained in the continental Action Plan for African First Ladies Peace Mission, to participate effectively in this process. 11. The Summit welcomed the initiatives of the African Union, including the adoption of the policy on Development and Post conflict Reconstruction (FP) by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Union in Banjul, Gambia in 2006 and emphasized the need for the participation of more women in peace keeping missions in order to effectively cater for the specific needs of women in countries affected by conflicts.
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12. The First Ladies also welcomed the efforts of the United Nations, including the adoption of UNSCR Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security on 31 October 2000, the establishment of the United Nations Women and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, United Nations Declaration on Millennium Development Goals and the appointment of a Special Representative of the Secretary General (SG) on Sexual Violence in Conflict. They emphasized the need for the effective implementation of the Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) and other international instruments by African countries, including the establishment of effective policies and coordinating mechanisms to promote inclusiveness and gender parity. 13. The Summit acknowledged that many Member States have taken concrete steps to strengthen the participation of women in the social, economic and political life of their respective countries, and that many women now hold key positions in government with two as Presidents of their respective countries. It urged Member States to continue to take practical steps towards increasing the participation of women in leadership positions and to empower women economically through entrepreneurial and skill acquisition programmes that would make them self reliant. It also called on African governments to evolve special legal or legislative mechanisms that would help to empower African women politically in order that more African women could successfully stand for elective positions in their respective countries. 14. The Summit reaffirmed its commitment to the implementation of the Action Plan of the African First Ladies Peace Mission towards the achievement of its objectives. It urged African Governments, the private sector, donors and development partners to render concrete support towards this end. 15. The Summit considered the report of the Bureau of the African First Ladies Peace Mission (Bureau AFLPM) held on 25 July 2012. The report was prepared by the Committee of Experts, that also met in Abuja on 24 July 2012. The Summit commended the Experts for their work which facilitated the successful deliberations of the Summit.

16. The First Ladies committed themselves to the successful take off and smooth operations of the Permanent Secretariat of the African First Ladies Peace Mission in Abuja, Nigeria. In this regard, they expressed their profound gratitude to the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the provision of the Interim Secretariat and provision of land for the building of Permanent Secretariat for the AFLPM in Abuja, Nigeria. 18. The Summit requested H.E. Dame (Dr) Patience Goodluck Jonathan, President of the African First ladies Peace Mission, to transmit the outcome documents of the 7th Summit to the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, for submission to the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government as its contribution to the regional efforts towards peace and resolution of conflicts in Africa. 19. The Summit re-elected H.E. Dame (Dr.) Patience Goodluck Jonathan, First Lady of Federal Republic of Nigeria as the President (West Africa), First Lady of Cameroon as Vice President, Central African Region; First Lady of Republic of South Africa as Vice-President, Southern African Region; First Lady of Sudan as Vice-President, Eastern African Region; First Lady of Libya as the Vice-President, Northern African Region; and First Lady of the Republic of Congo as Ex-Officio for another term of 2 years. 20. The First Ladies expressed their deep appreciation to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, the Government and People of Nigeria for their generosity and hospitality. They also expressed their gratitude to Her Excellency, Dame (Dr) Patience Goodluck Jonathan, the First Lady of Nigeria, for her leadership of the AFLPM and the exemplary manner in which she guided the deliberations of the Summit. They expressed their appreciation to all institutions and agencies that assisted towards the success of the Summit.

Done in Abuja, this 27th Day of July, 2012