The Economic, Social, and Cultural Council of the African Union (ECOSOCC) is an advisory and consultative organ of the African Union, which was established in 2004 in accordance with the provision of Articles 5 and 22 of the AU Constitutive Act of the African Union. The legal framework governing the ECOSOSCC (Statutes) adopted by the AU Assembly in July 2004. The Statutes defines members of ECOCOCC to include different social and professional groups of AU Member States and those African organizations based in the Diaspora.
Under Article 4 of the ECOSOCC Statutes, ECOSOCC is composed of one hundred fifty four (154) Civil Society Organization (CSOs): two (2) CSOs from each Member State (55); ten (10) CSOs operating at regional level and eight (8) at continental level, twenty (20) CSOs from the African Diaspora, as defined by the Executive Council and covering the continents of the world; and six (6) CSOs, in ex-officio capacity, nominated by the AU and based on special considerations. Additionally, Article 4 (2) of the Statutes provides that the elections for members of ECOSOCC at Member State, regional, continental and Diaspora levels shall ensure fifty percent (50%) gender equality provided that fifty percent (50 %) of the representatives shall consist of youth between the ages of 18 and 35. Members are elected for a term of four (4) years and may be re-elected only once.
Since its inception, the organ have had three successful General Assembly terms ; the first ordinary session of the Fourth Permanent General was inaugurated in December, 2022. The second ordinary session of the Fourth Permanent General Assembly is scheduled for December 2024. In light of the foregoing and as guided by its Credentials Committee, a body responsible for examining credentials of members of ECOSOCC and of their representatives, ECOSOCC is opening-up the application process for the existing vacancy (see Annex 1) into the 4th Permanent General Assembly.
Accordingly, ECOSOCC invites CSOs that meet the eligibility requirements stipulated in Article 6 of the Statutes (see Annex 2) to submit their application to be a member of the 4th Permanent General Assembly. The deadline to submit an application shall be on or before 8th November, 2024, 17 :00Hrs Lusaka time.
In order to allow for greater representation of CSOs from the fifty five (55) Member States of the Union and the five (5) Regions of Africa, the ECOSOCC is encouraging the civil society community including but not limited to social groups, professional groups, non-governmental organizations, community based organizations, voluntary organizations and cultural organizations to apply for ECOSOCC membership by filling the attached application form and provide all relevant supporting documents as indicated in the application form.
Applications will be screened by the ECOSOCC Credentials Committee followed by an AU-Inter Organ team for Verification and Appraisal of Eligibility of candidates and elections will be conducted for qualified candidates in November/December 2024. The Application Form and additional information about the ECOSOCC Elections shall be available on the ECOSOCC website https://ecosocc.au.int/
The applicants should refer to the application form and the eligibility requirements in Annex 2 in order to submit a successful application.
Completed application forms with all relevant documents should be sent to the ECOSOCC Secretariat by electronic mail at elections.ecosocc@africa-union.org before/or on 08 NOVEMBER 2024. Please note that incomplete applications shall not be processed and will be disqualified from subsequent phases of the elections.
