The Chairperson of the African Union Commission visited the Knowledge Management (KM) Unit within the Directorate of Information and Communication (ICD) on 27th March, during which he underscored the critical role of knowledge and institutional memory in advancing the implementation of Africa’s development framework, Agenda 2063.
During the visit, the Chairperson was guided through the Union’s archives and library by the Head of Communication who is acting as the Director of Information and Communication, Mrs. Wynne Musabayana and the Head of the Knowledge Management Unit Mr Asmerom Girma. The Chairperson was accompanied by his spokesperson, Mr Nuur Mohamud Sheekh and other officials.
The Chairperson underscored the importance of knowledge:
“We need institutional memory. An organisation without a memory cannot sustain the responsibility of having a history, and of preparing itself for coming generations.”
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He highlighted the importance of sufficient resources for knowledge management within the African Union: “It is very important that we give the necessary attention and support- logistic and human resources- to this Directorate.
The Chairperson congratulated the team for keeping the Union’s archives in the best form and shape possible, despite the lack of resources, human and financial, emphasizing that “the archives, the library, and the Directorate of Information and Communication as a whole, are the memory of this institution.”
The visit highlighted the African Union Commission’s core value of Information and knowledge sharing, as well as the strategic positioning of knowledge in the Union’s 2024-2028 Strategic Plan. In this framework, knowledge is recognized as an accelerator of the implementation of Agenda 2063, while information serves as a vital enabler of that process.
The Knowledge Management Unit of the ICD plays a central role in collecting, preserving, and disseminating the African Union’s intellectual and historical assets. These resources not only support internal decision-making and policy continuity but also contribute to broader continental development efforts.
The AU’s knowledge resources, available in both physical formats through its archives and library, and digitally via its online platforms, offer significant value to a wide range of users:
· AU staff members, who rely on accurate records and institutional memory to design and implement policies effectively.
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· Member states, who rely on them for institutional memory to guide decision making.
· African researchers and academics, who can access primary documents and data to inform scholarship and innovation.
· Students and the public who benefit from open access to information.
· Content creators who use them to create Africa focused content
By ensuring access to these resources, the African Union reinforces its commitment to transparency, learning, and development, and to achieving the aspirations of Agenda 2063.
The Chairperson’s visit signaled renewed institutional focus on strengthening knowledge systems within the African Union, ensuring that the continent’s past informs its present and shapes its future.
Visit the African Union’s knowledge platforms here
Https://archives.au.int
Hype://akb.au.int
Https://library.au.int
For more information, contact
Mrs Wynne Musabayana | Head of Communication | E-mail: [email protected]
Mr Asmerom Girma | Head, Knowledge Management Unit | E-MAIL: [email protected]