The first African Conference on Peace and State Building will be hosted in Kigali, Rwanda, from 20-24 August 2010, by the Government of Rwanda in partnership with the Joint Secretariat of the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, (UNECA).The objective of the conference is to promote an African-led discourse on peace and state building in Africa within the context of post-conflict reconstruction and development, to inform African policy makers and development practitioners.Some of the expected outcomes of the conference are to develop an African perspective on peace and state building in Africa through knowledge generation and experience sharing, assist in shaping policies and practices of peace and state building processes in Africa, and contribute to various international initiatives on aid effectiveness for Africa, especially in post-conflict situations.A Joint Secretariat delegation met recently with Rwandan Authorities to finalize preparation for the conference. Receiving the Bank’s delegation, on behalf of the Government of Rwanda, Louise Mushikiwabo, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation expressed her gratitude to the Joint Secretariat for having chosen Rwanda as the country to host such an important conference. She emphasized the importance of a Pan-African voice on issues related to Peace and State Building in Africa.Speaking on behalf of the Joint Secretariat, Gabriel Negatu, Director of the Governance Department at the AfDB, lauded Rwanda’s significant efforts in achieving social and economic development as well as sustainable peace, 16 years after the Genocide. He also expressed his confidence in the Government’s commitment to work with the Joint Secretariat to organize such an important conference, which will develop a common African position on post-conflict peace and state building.The other members of the Joint Secretariat mission to Kigali comprised Margaret Kilo, Head of the Fragile States Unit, AfDB, Diko Jacob Mukete, Resident Representative, AfDB Rwanda Field Office, Jalal Abdel-Latif, Chief of Section, UNECA and Peter Okuonghae, AUC.Aoudi Diallo Senior Media Relations Assistant External Relations and Communications Unit African Development Bank