AU is organising an expert meeting on the Maputo Plan of Action, African health strategy and other key continental documents

The African Union Executive Council in its Decision EX.CL/Dec. 876(XXVII) endorsed the recommendations of the first session of the Specialised Technical Committee on Health, Population and Drug Control (STC-HPDC-1). In the Decision, the Commission was requested to finalise the revision and ensure the extension of key AU health policy instruments, and to submit them to the 2nd Meeting of African Ministers of Health jointly organized by the AUC and WHO scheduled to hold in Tunis from 18 to 21 April 2016 for consideration and endorsement of the Ministers.

Regrettably the 2nd Meeting of African Ministers of Health has been postponed sine die. In lieu of the Tunis meeting and in order to meet the targets set by the STC-HPDC-1, the Commission has decided to organise the meeting of the Ministers of Health as a Working Group of the STC. The meeting will be organized as follows:

• 25 to 26 April 2016-Health Experts Meeting in Addis Ababa;
• 21 May 2016- Ministers of Health Meeting preceding the opening of the World Health Assembly in Geneva.

These meetings are being organised to enable ministers and their experts to examine and to endorse the following health policy instruments that will be considered by the Assembly in July 2016 in Kigali:

1. African Health Strategy (2016-2030);
2. Maputo Plan of Action (2016-2030) for the implementation of the Continental Framework on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights;
3. Catalytic Framework to end AIDS, TB and Eliminate Malaria in Africa by 2030;
4. Common Africa Position on the High Level Meeting on AIDS (8-10 June 2016);
5. Concept document on the establishment of the African Health Volunteers Corps.

Furthermore the meetings will facilitate preparations and coordination on key important agenda items of the World Health Assembly starting on May 23rd 2016.

The meeting is open to experts from Member State Experts dealing with AIDS, TB, Malaria, health systems strengthening, and sexual and reproductive health and rights. The Commission is making arrangements to mobilise resources to facilitate the participation of experts at the Addis Ababa meeting from 25 to 26 April 2016. Participation is also open to partners.

Working languages

The meeting documents and interpretation will be available in all the four AU official languages.