During the 5th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting (MYCM), scheduled for later this week, Kenya will host 50 foreign affairs ministers from all over the African continent and 15 heads of state.
The summit will start on Thursday and last till Sunday, according to a statement made to newsrooms on Tuesday by Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Dr Alfred Mutua.
"I welcome all delegates to Kenya to attend and participate in the 5th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting, (5th MYCM), scheduled to take place from July 13 to July 16, 2023 in Nairobi," said Mutua.
"The meeting of Heads of State and Government will take place at The United Nations in Gigiri, Nairobi, on Sunday, July 16, 2023."
According to CS Mutua, the eight Heads of State and Government who preside over the Regional Economic Communities, the African Union Commission, and Regional Mechanisms (RMs) are among the dignitaries anticipated.
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Burundi (EAC), Djibouti (IGAD), Zambia (COMESA), the DRC (SADC), Nigeria (ECOWAS), Chad (CEN-SAD), Libya (UMA), and Gabon (ECCAS) are the eight chairmen of the Regional Economic Communities (RECs).
To coordinate the implementation of the continental integration agenda and serve as the primary venue for the African Union Commission, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and Regional Mechanisms, MYCM was established in 2017.
CS Mutua pointed out that the AU theme for the conference this year is "Acceleration of AfCFTA Implementation," which he stated is intended to hasten the completion of one of Agenda 2063's significant projects, "The Africa We Want."
Dr Mutua stated that the Executive Council of the African Union's 43rd Ordinary Session, which brings together Ministers of Foreign Affairs from all over the continent, will begin Thursday and run through Sunday, the day before the 5th MYCM.
He claims the meeting's goals include adopting new decisions on essential matters of continental interest and reviewing and approving the AU's budgetary budget for 2024.
CS Mutua emphasized that the MYCM will be a crucial hub for tourism and commercial prospects, with the conference projected to draw more than 1500 delegates from all around Africa.
"International conferences are key and strategic drivers of our tourism market, especially in the MICE Sector," he stated.
Every productive international conference in Kenya "cements our internationally recognized legacy of our country's capability to host international meetings and further allows delegates to experience magical Kenya beyond the confines of the conference halls."
According to Mutua, Kenya anticipates establishing the African Audiovisual and Cinema Commission (AACC) to advance prospects for youth following the summit.
According to him, Kenya was given the honour of serving as the temporary secretariat for this Commission in Nairobi by the 36th African Union Assembly on February 18, 2023.
According to their mission statement, "AACC is a Specialized Agency of the AUC mandated to develop and strengthen the African audiovisual which is critical in supporting the creative economy and providing Economic opportunities for millions of the youthful population in our continent."
