An artwork themed on the 29th anniversary of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi is displayed at the Kigali Genocide Memorial in Kigali, Rwanda, April 7, 2023. (Photo by Cyril Ndegeya/Xinhua)
African Union (AU) Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat on Saturday appointed Adama Dieng of Senegal as the first African Union Special Envoy for the Prevention of the Crime of Genocide and Other Mass Atrocities.
ADDIS ABABA, April 7 (Xinhua) — African Union (AU) Commission Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat on Saturday appointed Adama Dieng of Senegal as the first EU Special Envoy for the Prevention of the Crime of Genocide and Other Mass Atrocities .
As the 55-member continental body’s first special envoy for the prevention of the crime of genocide and other mass atrocities, Dieng will lead the AU’s agenda to combat hate ideology and genocide on the African continent, Faki told X, formerly Twitter. . Saturday.
Dieng was previously appointed by former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as a special adviser to the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide.
UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide Adama Dieng (C, front) speaks at the launch of the UN Strategy and Action Plan on Hate Speech, at UN headquarters in New York, June 18, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)
As a legal and human rights expert, Dieng has a distinguished career in contributing to strengthening the rule of law, fighting impunity and promoting capacity building in the field of judicial and democratic institutions, including through fact-finding missions, publications and media, according to with the UN.
Dieng’s appointment came as the AU is set to hold a high-level event on the 30th anniversary of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda under the theme “Remember-Unite-Renew” on Sunday.
Since 2010, the AU has held annual commemorations every year on April 7, as decided by African leaders.
According to the AU, the year 2024 marks “an important time to honor the deceased, stand in solidarity with the survivors and unite to prevent such atrocities from happening again”.
He said the commemoration serves as a critical platform to continuously awaken greater awareness among the African people and the international community about the value of life and humanity and to renew collective commitments to protect and defend fundamental human rights. ■