VZCZCXRO7995
PP RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHPA
DE RUEHDS #0086/01 0110609
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 110609Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8586
INFO RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 3611
RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 2690
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1683
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ADDIS ABABA 000086 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/RSA, AF/E, AF/EPS, S/GAC, OES. 
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS. 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL AORC WHO SOCI AU
SUBJECT: AU SOCIAL AFFAIRS COMMISSIONER ON AU HEALTH 
PRIORITIES 
 
REF: A. 05 STATE 232766 
 
     ¶B. 05 ADDIS ABABA 3010 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  The African Union's (AU) attention to 
social issues in Africa is one of the major issues 
differentiating it from its predecessor organization, the 
OAU, Commissioner for Social Affairs Bience Gawanas 
(Namibian) told DCM January 5.  The AU is working with 
African regional economic communities (RECs) and 
international bodies such as the UN, WHO, and IOM to 
proactively address the continent's health and other social 
challenges.  Gawanas advocated the assignment of a U.S. 
Health Attache to the AU to advise on overall health system 
strengthening in Africa (see also Ref B).  On the issue of 
smallpox research (Ref A), AU infectious diseases point 
person Dr. Grace Kalimugogo indicated January 9 that "so 
far", World Health Assembly discussions reflect consensus 
that smallpox research should continue and should follow 
international regulations.  Dr. Kalimugogo said that no 
African country has yet raised an objection.  Smallpox points 
were also shared with the Office of AU Chairperson Alpha 
Oumar Konare and by Charge with AU Deputy Chairperson 
Mazimhaka.  The AU faces a challenge in living up to high 
member state performance expectations of a "changed 
organization" while simultaneously equipping that new 
organization with functioning structures, Gawanas said.  End 
summary. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
ADDRESSING ISSUES THAT MATTER FOR AFRICA 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Gawanas told DCM that the AU's advocacy on the 
continent's social agenda is becoming "increasingly visible." 
 The AU seeks to advocate best practices and harmonize member 
state and regional agendas for social issues, she said. 
Gawanas stated that the AU's proactive stance in confronting 
African social challenges is one of the major ways in which 
the AU differs from its defunct predecessor organization the 
OAU. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Gawanas said that the AU works with several UN 
agencies, such as the WHO, other international bodies such as 
IOM, and the RECs to promote health and other social agendas. 
 The Commission for Social Affairs is working to increase its 
own understanding of other health-related programs on the 
continent.  The AU is also working on a more structured 
relationship with the RECs, which have only just started 
taking on social issues, Gawanas noted.  Gawanas said that 
the AU works with the RECs to advocate best practices and 
attract capacity-building assistance to pursue proactive 
social agendas.  RECs are often better at program 
implementation, Gawanas noted, and each region has its own 
disease burden.  Gawanas said that the AU is also redefining 
partnerships with international organizations and seeking 
more close coordination with those bodies. 
 
¶4. (SBU) In terms of specific agendas, Gawanas said that the 
AU is working on the development of an African Common 
Position on HIV/AIDS linked to the plan of action on 
HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis that was adopted at the 
January 2005 AU Summit in Abuja.  The AU Commission also 
provides the secretariat for AIDS Watch Africa (AWA), she 
said.  While Gawanas was not familiar with the International 
Partnership on Avian and Pandemic Influenza (IPAPI), she said 
that the Commission of Agriculture and Rural Development 
tracks the animal side of the issue and that AU Commission 
Chairperson Konare views avian influenza preparedness as a 
priorty.  Gawanas said that polio eradication is a priority 
program for 2006, and the AU intends to step up its advocacy 
campaign.  Gawanas lamented that the threat posed by malaria 
to the continent's health and productivity has been 
overshadowed by HIV/AIDS, but said the Commission is 
dedicated to an anti-malaria agenda.  The AU was also 
mandated by African heads of state to develop a 
pharmaceutical plan for Africa following the results of a WHO 
study to map the current state of play, Gawanas said. 
Gawanas noted that the AU is conducting an in-depth study of 
an Egyptian proposal to create a Center of Excellence for 
Infectious Diseases and Epidemic Surveillance to better 
understand the implications of establishing the Center and AU 
capacity to run it. 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00000086  002 OF 003 
 
 
 
--------------------------- 
NEED SOME HELP FROM FRIENDS 
--------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Gawanas noted that her Commission is staffed with 
seven people (including herself) charged with promoting 
agendas on infectious diseases; health, population and 
nutrition; migration, labor and employment; social welfare; 
culture and sports; and serving as the AWA secretariat.  The 
AU needs to build strong partnerships to succeed, she stated. 
 
¶6. (SBU) In that vein, Gawanas noted that she would welcome 
the assignment of a U.S. Health Attache to the AU.  The AU 
would look to the health attache for guidance and advice as 
it pursues health system strengthening at the member state 
level, Gawanas said.  (Note:  See also Ref B, in which Post 
supports the AU's initial request for a Health Attache.  End 
note.) 
 
¶7. (SBU) Gawanas told DCM that the AU would benefit from the 
opportunity to attend short training courses on specific 
health or other social issues to build AU staff capacity. 
She said her staff would also welcome visits by U.S. experts 
as they pass through Addis.  Gawanas stated that she is 
developing a training program.  DCM shared AF/EPS-provided 
fact sheets on USG efforts related to HIV/AIDS, malaria, 
education, and women's justice with Gawanas. 
 
---------------------------- 
INSTITUTIONAL TRANSFORMATION 
---------------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) Gawanas, who is also Konare's point person for 
overall AU institutional transformation, said that 
transformation from OAU to AU systems, processes, and outlook 
is a long process.  Institutional Transformation focuses on 
the AU Commission itself, rationalization of the RECs and 
specialized agencies, and AU governance, including the 
Commission's relationship with other AU organs such as the 
Pan African Parliament and Peace and Security Council. 
 
¶9. (SBU) As a first step focusing on the AU Commission, 
Gawanas said, the AU mobilized staff at headquarters and AU 
regional offices to highlight what is new about the AU as 
opposed to the OAU.  The AU will initiate staff induction 
training, including elements of diversity and gender 
awareness.  The AU is also undertaking a "diagnosis" of 
support structures at headquarters, to be followed by action 
plans to improve matters, Gawanas stated.  She noted that any 
given department in the AU Commission can only be as 
effective as the support it gets from administration, 
finance, conference services, and other support offices. 
(Note:  A group of EU partners is funding an "institutional" 
assessment of the AU aimed at improving administrative and 
financial management capability to eventually allow more 
flexible funding options.  End note.) 
 
¶10. (SBU) Gawanas commented that the AU needs a full-time 
change management team to drive the process of institutional 
transformation.  AU employees and AU member states have high 
expectations and want to see deliverables, she said.  Gawanas 
said that the AU's challenge is to meet member state 
performance expectations of a "changed organization" while 
simultaneously working to build that new organization from 
within. 
 
----------------- 
SMALLPOX RESEARCH 
----------------- 
 
¶11. (SBU) Per Ref A instructions, DCM shared with Gawanas the 
nonpaper on retaining variola virus stocks.  Charge also 
shared points with AU Deputy Chairperson Mazimhaka (no 
immediate response) and delivered them to AU Commission 
Chairperson Konare's office (Konare has been out of town). 
AU infectious diseases point person Dr. Grace Kalimugogo told 
Poloff January 9 that World Health Assembly debates thus far 
reflect a common position that smallpox research should 
continue, and should follow international regulations.  She 
had no indication that any African member states have 
dissenting views. 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00000086  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
¶12. (SBU) Kalimugogo acknowledged the U.S. points, but said 
that member states had not asked the AU Commission to arrange 
a separate discussion of smallpox research.  She said that a 
first step towards developing a common African position on 
smallpox research or retention of variola virus stocks would 
be for the AU to convene a meeting of ministers of health to 
make policy recommendations.  The next ordinary session of 
ministers of health is in 2007, but member states could 
always request an extraordinary meeting. 
 
 
HUDDLESTON