Source: African Union (AU)
In order to popularize and create awareness, and promote the speedy signature, ratification and domestication of the AU Convention for the Protection of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa, the African Union has decided to convene regional meetings. The first round of consultations will take place in Lilongwe, Malawi for the SADC region from 17 to 18 March 2011.

Since its adoption in October 2009 at the Kampala Special Summit on Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDP's), seven African Union Member States (Uganda, Sierra Leone, Chad, Zambia, Central African Republic, Somalia and Gabon) have ratified the Convention for the Protection and Assistance of IDP's. Thirtyone (31) Member States have signed the instrument. The Convention, the first ever instrument aimed at addressing the challenge of forced displacement on the continent, needs 15 ratifications for it to come into force.

To this effect, the African Union has formulated a Plan of Action (2010-2012) and an Implementation Plan to put into action the outcomes of the Special Summit. The Regional Consultative Meeting will roll-out the implementation of the Plan of Action, review the steps undertaken by Member States and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to implement the Plan of Action, agree on regional and national strategies and sequence how activities under the Plan of Action can fit in their own plans.

The consultative meeting will be attended by the SADC Inter-Parliamentary Forum, the Pan-African Parliament, legal experts from AU Member States and experts in the field of forced displacement; the SADC secretariat, development partners, UN agencies and partners involved in the humanitarian realm, civil society and the Diaspora.

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