III.    SOCIAL COOPERATION

In the area of social cooperation, we commit to the following:

1. Knowledge and Education
2. a)    Design and develop platforms for African and Diaspora educators and scholars to address the developmental agenda of the Continent and the Diaspora. These would include, among others, the establishment of African-centred institutions and programmes and increased collaboration efforts between academic and research institutions in Africa and the Diaspora regions;
3. b)    Ensure the harmonisation and implementation of regional and international protocols protecting indigenous knowledge systems and intellectual property rights;
4. c)    Emphasize the importance of education as a basic condition of achieving human development and the need to promote literacy campaigns.
5. d)    Support the creation of linkages between Diaspora Academic, Research and

Development Institutions and those in Africa;

1. e)    Ensure the participation of Diaspora Experts in the development and implementation of AU-Diaspora initiative.
2. Arts and Culture
3. f)    Promote the coordination and funding of cultural exchange programmes between Africa and the Diaspora;
4. g)    Further encourage and disseminate information to all Member States on

African-Diaspora projects which are being implemented such as the Museum of Black Civilisations, an African Remembrance Square, the African Renaissance Monument, the Joseph Project and slave route;

1. h)    Support, encourage and promote the celebration of global observance days as symbols of solidarity for the commemoration of the common heritage and vision of Africa and its Diaspora, in order to strengthen Pan-African unity and identity, in particular, Africa Day, African Union Day, Black History Month and Emancipation Day;
2. Media and Image Building
3. i)    Coordinate efforts of the existing media and promote new media to re-brand Africa and to counter stereotypes about Africans and people of African descent;
4. j)    Explore possibilities of creating Africa News Network Service to enhance image branding and imaging of Africa;
5. k)    Promote national and continental initiatives that aim to enhance good governance and rule of law, so as to strengthen a positive image of Africa among the African Diaspora and the international community at large.
6. Immigration
7. l)    Engage developed countries with a view to creating favourable regulatory mechanisms governing migration; and to address concerns of African immigrants in Diaspora Communities;
8. Human and People’s Rights
9. m)    Work for the full implementation of the Plan of Action of the United Nations World Conference Against Racism;
10. n)   Engage developed countries to address the political and socio-economic marginalisation of Diaspora communities in their countries of domicile;
11. o)    Strengthen the implementation of legislation and other measures aimed at eradicating child trafficking, human trafficking, child labour, exploitation of children and women in armed conflicts and other modern forms of slavery;
12. Social and Cultural Issues
13. p)    Allocate more resources on social spending programmes such as health, education and housing;
14. q)    Cooperate, in order to make social security institutions more efficient in protecting Africans and members of the Diaspora;
15. r)    Ensure expansion of access to the Internet for social, health, business and development and trade;
16. s)    Coordinate with the African Diaspora regarding the question of the illegally acquired cultural goods that exist outside the African continent, with the aim of speeding their return to their countries of origin in Africa;
17. t)    Ensure the promotion of sports and sports exchange between the AU Member States and the Diaspora;