Ghana is among 23 Member States of the African Union (AU) that has formed what is referred to as the “First Permanent General Assembly of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) to ensure partnership between governments and all segments of the society aimed at achieving popular participation in the affairs of the AU. ECOSOCC would, among other objectives, set agenda on developments on the African continent bearing in mind the stages of development of various countries in relation to the AU as a continental organization. Dr. Niyi Alabi, Consultant to the Union made this known to the GNA ahead of the launch of ECOSOCC on 9th September, 2008 at Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania. Other participating countries are Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Niger, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia. He explained that ECOSOCC was formed in pursuant to a decision taken at the 13th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the Union, which was subsequently endorsed by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union. “The launching of ECOSOCC is a milestone in the development of the institutional architecture of the African Union,” Dr. Alabi said. Civil Society participation in the affairs of the African Union would be facilitated and people would be able to understand policies and relate to them better. The Assembly would be launched by President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, Chairman of AU and President of Tanzania, Mr Erastus Mwencha, Deputy Chairman of the AU Commission will also grace the occasion. Source: GNA