Your excellencies First Ladies
Ambassador Maria Otero
Dr Meskerem Grunitzsky-Bekele Regional Director UNAIDS
Dr Roger Salla Ntounga Chief Office of Organizational Performance and Ethics UNAIDS
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen

It is with great pleasure we welcome you to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to participate in this General Assembly. I want to take this opportunity to extend our condolences to the families of those who died as a result of the Ethiopian Airlines flight from Lebanon to Addis Ababa.

We are among friends who have supported us through the years, and potential partner’s .It is a privilege for Ethiopia to host this meeting. First, as you know we currently serve as the secretariat of OAFLA but most importantly we all share common problems which we have to find solutions for with our African brothers and sisters. The secretariat has now prepared the foundation of a strong institution. With the adoption of the strategic plan and the financial procedures manual OAFLA is forging ahead to play a major role in both fighting HIV/AIDs and promoting women’s empowerment. We are also reviewing the rules of procedures to amend it in order to respond the needs of a strong secretariat and membership.

Every meeting that OAFLA has conducted moves us closer towards creating an institutional base where we can launch our programs, create awareness and make our voices heard. This kind of forum also provides a unique opportunity to share our experiences and best practices.

OAFLA has adopted a strategic plan which is forward looking. It is a plan which seeks to view the HIV/AIDS epidemic within the context of the realities of African women and Children. Therefore it is not surprising that our strategic plan includes issues such as the prevention of gender based violence, reproductive health, maternal mortality, and women’s empowerment. These go hand in hand with our strategy to prevent the spread of the epidemic as well as providing care and support to those who are infected and affected.

The First Ladies of OAFLA have embarked on campaigns to help women access PMTCT and support orphans. This will ensure that the next generation of children born will not have the virus. For those orphans and vulnerable children whom we see in our cities and villages, OAFLA has taken the leadership role in creating a sense of responsibility and ownership for caring for them.

When OAFLA was established in 2002, our vision was to create the leadership required to ensure that the needs of the most vulnerable segments of our community was addressed. In particular for women and children who live in poverty the epidemic created conditions which required immediate intervention?  In partnership with a strong network of government agencies and donors, OAFLA has been able to provide this leadership.  We should also acknowledge that this leadership was complemented by concrete activities for women and children in the different countries.  As African First Ladies our strength comes not from our individual efforts but from our ability to have a collective impact. But it is clear we can do more if we coordinate our activities and mobilize more resources.  

First Ladies of Africa and members of OAFLA are now playing a prominent role in helping formulate policies which will improve the lives of women. A good example is Zambia’s leadership in SADCC to promote the Maternity Protection Act.

Distinguished guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
When we assess our achievements,  we can surely say that OAFLA today has come a long way.  However, the potential of OAFLA to play a strong regional and international role has not been fully realized. The institutional framework of OAFLA which has been supported by the commitment of First Ladies must now be complemented by establishing a permanent secretariat. The decision by the General Assembly to establish this secretariat follows a series of actions which have been positive to our organization. We have adopted a strategic plan, a financial manual which will guide the work and the management of the organization. We have also reviewed our by-laws and will amend it to make the organization more effective. As a secretariat and as individual First Ladies we have approached and been approached by various donors willing to support our efforts.

The establishment of a secretariat will guarantee that the institutional memory of the organization is preserved and appreciated by the next generation of First Ladies. As our region moves towards the eradication of poverty and the establishment of good governance those who have the opportunity to make a difference can only do so supported by credible and legitimate institutions. Therefore we are looking forward to this new phase of our transformation.  For OAFLA its objectives are in line with the development goals of each region. Each country faces similar challenges which are the result of poverty and gender inequity.  Since we share similar problems we also can find solutions together in a forum such as OAFLA.  As First Ladies our roles are not ceremonial since each of us is engaged in making sure that our offices take upon issues which affect the most vulnerable group in our societies. Our role as advocates, as catalysts for change is important in accelerating the reduction of poverty and ill health. HIV/AIDS may have been a galvanizing factor. But all the areas of focus which we address are equally important to the lives of women.

Distinguished Guests
I urge you all to welcome our efforts, to open your doors to dialogue with us, plan with us and create a coordinated strategy. Our mandate is to improve the lives of women and children through whatever means is possible. Our mandate and responsibility is to mobilize our communities to help us achieve these objectives. And last our mandate is to advocate and work with those who are already working in this area to lend our support.

We appreciate your presence here and we look forward to working with you as partners.

I also to take this opportunity to assure all the First ladies and their representatives of the support and commitment of my country Ethiopia to strengthen OAFLA.

Finally, I wish you a pleasant and productive stay in Addis Ababa.