President Jakaya Kikwete, Chairman of the African Union, on Tuesday urged Civil Society Organizations to share the burdens of sustaining the policy process of the African Union as well as its benefit since civil societies were now partners in policy making. He said: "I am also requesting the civil society community in Africa to provide the utmost support to the `Economic Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) and the AU so that they can achieve the noble objectives of their establishment." President Kikwete who is also the President of the United Republic of Tanzania said this when he officially launched ECOSOCC, the civil society arm of the African Union with the objective of bridging the gap between policies and citizens. ECOSOCC among other objectives would translate the principles and policies of the AU into concrete programmes that citizens of the African community could identify with. President Kikwete with the launch of ECOSOCC, the civil society on the continent will have a formal forum where their voices could be heard and considered. "The Civil Society has now become an integral part of the normal and routine processes of policy formulation, policy implementation and policy evaluation and monitoring within the African Union," he said. The AU Chairman explained that the Union was designed to be a partnership between governments and all segments of civil society in the African continent and added that with the establishment of ECOSOCC there was going to be a people oriented, people centred and people driven community in the African Union. He urged the newly elected Presiding Officer of ECOSOCC, Mr Akere Muna to develop an interactive work plan with the African Commission to consolidate and expand existing policy space for civil society engagement with the AU. Mr Muna who is also the President of the Pan African Lawyers Union said his priority was to complete the process of membership in ECOSOCC since out of the 35 Member states only 25 have so far qualified to be ECOSOCC members. He said there was also an urgent need for ECOSOCC to start functioning as an AU Organ by making inputs in decision making processes. Mr Muna advised African Civil societies to have a commitment towards the future of the continent by speaking about the problems that confront African nations and proposing people oriented solutions to them. Ms Wangari Maathai, who presided over the Interim ECOSOCC called for the establishment of national chapters of ECOSOCC to create awareness about the council in various member countries. Mr Erastus Mwencha, Deputy Chairman of the AU Commission, emphasized the need for the participation of all segments of the African society in the AU decision making process. He assured ECOSOCC of full cooperation from the Commission to enable the new born organization work well and achieve its objectives.