African Union reveals list of abuses within commission

By Addis Getachew

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia

A high-level investigation team set up by the African Union Commission on Friday revealed their findings on alleged abuses within the commission.

The team issued a report including a 7-point list of malpractices within the Pan African body's commission.

"Following allegations of harassment against women leveled through an anonymous letter, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission instituted a High-Level Committee (HLC) on 24 May 2018 to fully investigate all these allegations," read the report.

According to the report, the chairperson of the commission also entrusted the HLC with a mandate to investigate all alleged institutional malpractices within the commission on March 15, 2017.

The aim of the investigation was to independently establish the facts in the light of the commitment he made to staff on assumption of duty to ensure good internal governance throughout the entire commission.

Accordingly, the team identified malpractices in Human Resource functions, cases of harassment, bullying and intimidation, governance challenges, gender discrimination, fraud and corruption, impunity and sexual harassment.

This is the first scandal openly exposed within the African Union Commission in recent years.