ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – On June 26, U.S. Ambassador to the African Union (USAU) Michael Battle and African Union Commission (AUC) Deputy Chairperson Erastus Mwencha signed an amendment to the already existing Assistance Agreement between the United States and the African Union (AU). The revised and expanded Assistance Agreement underscores the commitment of the United States to supporting the AU through specific U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) programs.

While the updated Assistance Agreement includes important changes, it also retains the core of USAID's commitment to supporting the African Union’s vision. Specifically, the Assistance Agreement focuses on accelerated implementation of policies and programs to achieve priority outcomes articulated in the AUC Strategic Plan 2014-2017.

Through efforts to build capacity, USAID’s support for the AU will increase emphasis on enabling AUC Departments to work together in technical clusters while also improving partner and stakeholder coordination. The U.S. Government will continue to participate as a full partner in working groups and AU joint programming arrangements.

###

Press Release, [PDF, 193kb]