Making a Difference

African Union to launch e-Passport at July Summit in Rwanda

Press Release

Addis Ababa, look Ethiopia:

The African Union (AU) is prepared to launch the electronic passport (e-Passport) at the next AU Summit tabled to take place in Kigali, nurse Rwanda, generic in July 2016. This flagship project, first agreed upon in 2014, falls squarely within the framework of Africa’s Agenda 2063 and has the specific aim of facilitating free movement of persons, goods and services around the continent – in order to foster intra-Africa trade, integration and socio-economic development.

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, has described this initiative as both symbolic and significant, calling it a “steady step toward the objective of creating a strong, prosperous and integrated Africa, driven by its own citizens and capable of taking its rightful place on the world stage.”

Aspirations 2 and 7 of Agenda 2063, respectively, envision an Africa that is ‘integrated’ and ‘united’, and the introduction of the Common African Passport as an effort towards realizing integration and unity on the continent.

The first group of beneficiaries will include: AU Heads of State and Government; Ministers of Foreign Affairs; and the Permanent Representatives of AU Member States based at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The AU e-Passports will be issued to them in July 2016, at the 27th AU Summit in Kigali, Rwanda. In order for all the recipients to acquire the passports, they are strongly encouraged to comply with the needed paper work required to accelerate the processing lead time.

The concept of unrestricted movement of persons, goods and services across regions and the continent is not new; it has been outlined in documents like the Lagos Plan of Action and the Abuja Treaty – an indication that the unhampered movement of citizens is critical for Africa’s development.

Countries such as Seychelles, Mauritius, Rwanda, and Ghana have taken the lead in ensuring easier intra-Africa travel by relaxing visa restrictions and in some cases lifting visa requirements altogether. The scene seems to be set to realize the dream of visa-free travel for African citizens within their own continent by 2020.

Issuance of the AU e-Passport, is expected to pave the way for the Member States to adopt and ratify the necessary Protocols and Legislation with the view to begin issuing the much expected African passport.

For further information contact
Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail:dic@african-union.org I Web Site: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

Learn more at:
http://www.au.int

 2ND MENTAL HEALTH & WELL-BEING CONFERENCE IN GHANA

The Mental Health Foundation of Ghana (MHFGH) is a Not for Profit Organization based in Ghana and Australia. It was founded in January 2013 by a number of concerned individuals from Australia, United Kingdom and Ghana as a result of the human rights watch report “LIKE A DEATH SENTENCE: ABUSES AGAINST PERSONS WITH MENTAL DISABILITIES IN GHANA” published in 2012.

The MHFGH, as part of the activities marking World Mental Health day organized its first Mental Well-Being Conference in 2013 to commence engagement and conversation with stakeholders on the mental health issues and conditions in Ghana. The conference drew together Policy Makers, Religious and Traditional Leaders; Public and Private Health Practitioners and Administrators, Security and Welfare Institutions and the Media, in a collaborative effort to address mental health and well-being issues in Ghana. The conference was sponsored by the Australian High Commission to Ghana and a number of Australian Institutions including the University of Melbourne; the Mental Health Educators in the Diaspora and several small businesses in Australia and Ghana.

Building on from the recommendations of their first conference, the MHFGH wishes to invite individuals to attend the 2nd Mental Health and Well-being Conference in Ghana themed: “Dignity in Mental Health”. MHFGH is looking to draw participants from a broad range of stakeholders, which will include but not limited to Mental Health Professionals, Policy Makers, Pharmacists, Religious and Traditional leaders, Persons directly or indirectly affected by Mental Health Conditions, Non-Governmental Organizations, Civil, Society, Funding Organizations, Administrations, Law Enforcement Professionals, Political Leaders and other dignitaries.

Conference Date: October 10-15, 2015

Venue: College of Physicians & Surgeons (54 independence avenue, Ridge-Accra)
Contact: facquah57@gmail.com
Mobile: +61 413 543 690
Website: www.mhfgh.org

Worae Foundation (Stichting Worae) supports Sunyani Hospital

The Worae Foundation based in the Netherlands has donated medical equipments worth over GHS 40 000 to the Sunyani Regional Hospital. The equipments including Blood Freezers, ECG machine and monitors, an incubator, trolleys, delivery beds and other medical accessories. The items are part of a consignment donated to the foundation by a hospital in the Netherlands in support of the foundations efforts at contributing to health service delivery.

Receiving the items, the Director of the Brong Ahafo Regional Health Directorate, Dr Jecob Abebrese, acknowledged the significance of the items and thanked the Worae Foundation for the gesture. He reiterated the significance of the equipments towards improving health service delivery in the Brong Ahafo region in particular and the country at large.

Dr Abebrese was also of praise for Santova Logistics for shipping the equipments to Ghana on humanitarian grounds.

Mr Peter Worae bemoaned the cost of clearing such humanitarian items, especially hospital equipments at the Tema Port. He called for the concerned agencies to adopt measures that will speed-up and lessen the cost of clearing humanitarian items since the Tax Exemption process is wrangling, soaring up the handling charges at the Port.

Mrs Worae on her part announced the building of a Community Clinic for Atronie in the Brong Ahafo Region.

 

Worae Foundation

http://www.stichtingworae.nl