Africa Forum - Our Vision

	The Africa Forum will deploy its best efforts to contribute to the creation of a continent that is stable, secure and prosperous. It shares and is motivated by the objectives of the AU and its initiative NEPAD, to place African countries, both individually and collectively, on the path to sustainable development, to halt the economic and political marginalisation of Africa and to enhance the continent's full and beneficial integration into the global economy. The Africa Forum will be based on the common vision of a united and strong Africa and on the need to build a partnership between governments and all segments of civil society, in particular women, youth, and the private sector, in order to strengthen solidarity and cohesion amongst the peoples of Africa.



	STATUS The Africa Forum will be a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) with a lean Secretariat and flexible structure. It will actively participate in international fora, always promoting the cause of Africa.



	MISSION STATEMENT The core mission of the Africa Forum will be to promote and defend democratic governance on the African continent. It will utilize the first-hand experience of its members to play an advocacy role in promoting democratic principles and values in Africa. It will also focus its energies on the promotion of peace, security and stability on the continent, critical to the implementation of the development and integration agenda of the AU, in particular the NEPAD.



	OBJECTIVES The objectives of the Africa Forum will be to support and compliment the work of African Inter-governmental Institutions and African leaders in their efforts towards achieving among, others: (i) Peace making, peace building and post conflict reconstruction and development; (ii) Promoting regional integration and cooperation in Africa; and (iii) Mobilization of human and financial resources for Africa's social and economic development.



	FUNCTIONS Working on the basis of research, advocacy and think tanking, the Africa Forum will, among other activities: (i) Commission studies on matters of African interest; (ii) Issue communiqués, declarations and public statements on issues of concern to Africa; (iii) Make itself available to undertake peace, observer, fact-finding and other missions, as and when requested to do so by African leaders and other appropriate institutions. (iv) Promote the cause of Africa on the international arena. (v) Make itself available to participate in initiatives that promote the economic, social and cultural development of the African continent. (vi) Be free to cooperate with institutions and organizations that have objective similar to those of the Forum.



	MEMBERSHIP Membership of the Forum will be open to former African heads of state and government with democratic credentials. Such leaders will have made significant contributions towards the promotion and sustenance of democratic governance in their own countries, sub-region and the continent. Africans who have served as UN Secretaries General, former presidents of African Development Bank (ADB), former OAU Secretaries General, former chairpersons of the AU, former Executive Directors of the UNECA may be invited to join the Africa Forum. Its appropriate organs will determine their status. However, membership shall not be extended to any former Head of State and Government who is active on a national level. Generally, membership of the Africa Forum would be subjected to a membership criteria based on the principle of democratic entrance and democratic exit. However, the founding members of Africa Forum will decide upon the exceptions to be considered.



	ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE The principal organs of the Africa Forum will include the General Assembly, and Executive Secretariat.



	FUNDING The Africa Forum will mobilize its own resources, and establish its own rules of procedure as well as financial rules and regulations. It will work towards establishing an Africa Forum Fund to finance its own work.