The Commission of the African Union is convening an AU-Civil Society forum on the margins of the AU Summit in Banjul, the Gambia.

The meeting will provide a briefing on developments related to the AU-CSO agenda since the last Pre-Summit Forum in January 2005. It will also deliberate on the theme of the Summit itself i.e., Economic Integration, including the proposal for the Rationalization of Regional Economic Communities. The forum will also focus on peace and security issues including the situation in Sudan and ongoing CIDO programme for the ooperationalization of Article 20 of the Protocol of the Peace and Security Council that provides for civil society interface.

Finally, the meeting will facilitate interaction among civil society networks and organization and further consolidate the process of partnership between the AU and Civil Society.