REGIONAL COORDINATION MECHANISM REPORT OF THE ADVOCACY AND COMMUNICATION S CLUSTER NOV 2012

OBJECTIVES OF THE ACC AND CHALLENGES Goal O The goal of the ACC is to ensure the promotion of the work of AU/NPCA through capacity building, and to mobilize African and international support to the implementation of AUC and AU/NPCA priority objectives. Challenges faced by the ACC O The level of cooperation between the ACC and the rest of the clusters remains a key challenge. O Another major constraint faced by the cluster is the lack of specific resource allocations which makes it difficult to plan and implement activities. O the issue of clearly identifying who the beneficiary of the UN intervention under the Ten Year Capacity Building Program (TYCBP) are needs to be accepted throughout the RCM

PRIORITY ACTIVITIES: 2013 The ACC has decided to focus on a few, specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time bound deliverables for It will O Help to build the capacity of the AU to effectively brand its visual identity as well as rebranding Africa though use of the most appropriate tools and networks O Support the upgrading of skills within the AU communication offices through attachments and/or exchange programmes. Skills include writing, filming, photography, social media O Support in finalising the AUC communication strategy O Provide technical support and expertise in the production of a video documentary to celebrate the 50 th anniversary of the OAU and the 10 years of the AU O Assist in publicising the news and feature stories of the AU through the UN radio and TV network

RECOMMENDATIONS O All cluster activities should be guided by the priorities set by the AU/NPCA O Focal points for communication in each of the clusters are necessary.. Every cluster should improve and strengthen internal communication. O It is essential to empower communication focal points by providing them with concrete tools of communication O With minimum funding, it is felt that the ACC could create a newsletter or a web platform where ideas could be shared in real time using contributions from every cluster. O Develop a resource mobilization strategy for ACC, but within the overall resource mobilization efforts of the RCM as a whole O This forum should re emphasise that the TYCBP is aimed at all of the African Union

African Union Commission

MAIN ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN SINCE OCTOBER 2011 O For the third year in the row, the cluster organized a briefing for UN Member States on the work of RECs O DIC and ECA collaborated in the coverage of major meetings and training of media O July 2012, the cluster organized an expert group meeting on the role of RECs in peace and development in Africa in Yaoundé, Cameroon. O DPI’s Africa Section offered to help the African Union and NEPAD Agency publicize their news or feature stories O ECA continued the weekly publication of NEPAD Today O ECA and NEPAD Agency co-published “A Decade of NEPAD: Deepening African Private Sector and Civil Society Ownership and Partnership” O Some UN officers participated in the AUC Communication Strategic Planning workshop O DIC started distributing its newsletters to cluster members O UNOAU provided expert to make proposals on improve O A manual for African journalists is under production