AU member states endorse draft statute of African Audiovisual and Cinema Commission to boost cinema industry

Ministers of Youth, Culture and Sport of the African Union Member States meeting in Nairobi have endorsed the draft Statute of the African Audiovisual and Cinema Commission (AACC) at the Extraordinary Session of the Specialized Technical Committee on Youth, Culture and Sport.

The AACC was established in June 2016 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia as a specialized agency of the African Union. The Ministers also approved the establishment of the AACC Temporary Secretariat in Nairobi, Kenya.

The establishment and the endorsement of the statutes is the result of concerted efforts led by the Government of the Republic of Kenya, the Pan African Federation of Filmmakers (FEPACI) currently hosted by the Government of Kenya, the African Union Commission (AUC) and leading film producing countries including Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote D'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, South Africa and Zimbabwe among others.

Establishment of AACC was first convened by the AU Executive Council in Maputo, Mozambique, in 2003.

The African Audiovisual and Cinema Commission (AACC) will be responsible for the promotion of the rapid development of the African audiovisual and cinema industry and shall encourage the creation of appropriate structures at the national, regional and continental levels; strengthen cooperation between African states in the field of audiovisual and cinema; and promote the use of audiovisual and cinematic expressions as factors for job creation, integration, solidarity, respect for values and shared understanding for promoting peace, a positive image of Africa and conflict prevention.

The audiovisual and cinema industry accounts for US $ 5 billion in continental GDP, employing an estimated 5 million people. With the current press for its development, this industry is expected to grow to over 20 million jobs and US $ 20 billion in annual GDP contribution.

The AACC is part of a 4 program ecosystem that mobilizes US $ 410 million in program funds for the promotion of this industry over the next five years. 

The meeting also took note of FEPACI's proposal on Regional Centers of Excellence in Film Production and Post-Production for the promotion and development of the audiovisual and cinema sector in Africa.

It also took note of the initiative by FEPACI and AUC to develop cinematic expressions on African Union's Agenda 2063 that will encompass all players in cinema production. This will also enable better domestication and popularization of the AU Agenda 2063.

www.fepacisecretariat.org
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