Morocco emphasized, Wednesday in Addis Ababa, during the first meeting of the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) of the African Union (AU), the importance of the organization’s financial independence.
Morocco’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the African Union (AU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), Mohamed Arrouchi, who intervened at this session, underlined “the strong financial dependence on international partners,” who cover 90% of the program budget compared to member states who cover the remaining 10%.
In this regard, Arrouchi called on the new Comorian presidency and the new chairman of the sub-committee on administrative and budgetary matters to consider possible ways to move towards the independence of the Pan-African institution.
The Moroccan ambassador further emphasized the importance of effective administrative and financial governance within the Union, especially in terms of the efficient management of the joint African action.
The Moroccan diplomat also stressed the importance of rationalizing the expenditures of the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) and its bodies, by prioritizing the activities and programs of the 2063 Agenda and avoiding overlapping budget allocations.
Arrouchi recalled the rule of submitting documents for consideration within a 10-day time limit, in order to allow the relevant departments to be involved in the Union’s decision-making process, notably the adoption of the Union’s annual budget for 2024, which will take place next July during the 43rd ordinary session of the Executive Council.