African Union ECOSOCC

Applying to the 5th ECOSOCC Permanent General Assembly? Don't get stuck at step zero!

Creating a profile is just a basic requirement to use the ECOSOCC Connect portal, not an application. There are 2 real steps:

1️⃣ Register your ORGANIZATION (Your organization must be registered before you can apply.)
2️⃣ Apply for the PGA

🔴 Individuals cannot apply. Only registered organizations are eligible.

Apply today: ecosocc.au.int/connect

If you have any questions during the application process, you can contact us directly at [email protected]

Today we honor the words of Mr. Strive Masiyiwa, a Zimbabwean born visionary entrepreneur and philanthropist whose voice continues to inspire Africa’s transformation.

His words carry forward the vision of Agenda 2063, where gender equality is achieved and women stand at the center of Africa’s development efforts.

By empowering women with his words, he states that when women rise, communities thrive, and nations prosper.

This conviction is echoed in ECOSOCC’s commitment to strengthening women’s participation in shaping African Union policies and programmes.

Learn more about how women‑focused and women‑led Civil Society Organizations can amplify women’s voices in ECOSOCC’s 5th Permanent General Assembly.

African Diaspora CSOs, Your Voice Matters!

The African Union’s ECOSOCC invites you to a special webinar designed for Civil Society Organizations across the Diaspora.

Get step‑by‑step guidance on how to apply for the 5th Permanent General Assembly through the ECOSOCC Connect Platform.

📅 Date: 16 June 2026
🕚 Time: 12:00 PM Central African Time (10:00 AM UTC)
📍 Venue: Zoom

In this session, you will learn:
✅ What ECOSOCC Connect is and why it matters
✅ How to navigate the ECOSOCC Connect Platform with confidence
✅ The complete A‑Z of the application process

This is your opportunity to ensure Diaspora voices are heard in Africa’s continental decision‑making.

Register today and be part of the journey toward the Africa We Want!

Zoom Registration: https://bit.ly/4nXNa56

Calling All Continental Civil Society Organizations in Africa!

Ready to take your place in shaping Africa’s future?

Join ECOSOCC’s exclusive webinar and get hands-on, step‑by‑step guidance on how to apply for ECOSOCC’s 5th Permanent General Assembly through the ECOSOCC Connect Platform.

📅 Date: 15 June 2026
🕚 Time: 11:00 AM CAT
📍 Venue: Zoom

What you will gain:
✅ Discover what ECOSOCC Connect is
✅ Learn how to navigate the platform with ease
✅ Master the A‑Z application process for the 5PGA

Don’t miss this chance to strengthen your voice in continental decision‑making.

Register now and secure your spot!

Register Here: https://bit.ly/3RmNb6r

Griots: The Living Archives of The Gambia

In The Gambia, griots, known as jelis among the Mandinka, systemize centuries of Gambian tradition. They are storytellers, praise singers, and musicians who preserve Gambian heritage, community histories, and cultural identity.

Central to their craft is the kora, a 21‑string harp first described by Mungo Park in 1799. The Kora has layered melodies that can “speak” without words through the technique of birimintingo.

Traditionally, griots were born into hereditary castes, apprenticing for years to master the kora and other instruments to memorize genealogies and oral histories, accompany ceremonies, mediate disputes, and celebrate patrons.

Even in modern Gambian society, the griots remain the strongest link to county's past, carrying forward the voices of ancestors into the present.

Among The Gambia’s most celebrated griots are Foday Musa Suso, Bai Konte, Papa Susso, Amadu Bansang Jobarteh, and Doudou M’Boob. Each one of these is a master of rhythm and oral tradition. Yet the legend reaches back even further to Balafasé Kouyate, the personal griot of the great Mandinka leader, Sundiata Keita, whose legacy still echoes through the strings of the kora and the voices of today’s storytellers.

Why Griots Are Celebrated

🎯 Custodians of Memory: They safeguard centuries of Gambian history, ensuring continuity across generations.

🎯 Musical Storytellers: Through instruments like the kora, they weave praise, critique, and wisdom into melodic tunes.

🎯 Cultural Identity: Their art reinforces Mandinka heritage and strengthens communal bonds.

🎯 Resilient Tradition: Despite societal change, griots continue to embody the living spirit of Gambian culture.

Every community has the keepers of memory and identity.
Who carries your stories forward in your community? Do you have guardians of heritage through music and words like the Gambian griots? Join the conversation and celebrate cultural preservation on .

Young Zambians, this opportunity is for you!🇿🇲

The African Union ECOSOCC is accepting applications for the 2026 Kenneth Kaunda Graduate Immersion Programme. If you are a recent graduate under 35, you could spend 9 months working at the ECOSOCC Secretariat right here in , doing policy research, project coordination and stakeholder engagement alongside AU staff.

You need a bachelor's or master's degree with Distinction or Merit awarded in the last five years, good English writing skills, and two letters of recommendation.

Applications close 10 June 2026. The programme starts 1 August 2026.

Apply here 👉🏾 ecosocc.au.int/en/programme/KKGIP2026

Tag someone who should apply!

Did you know the ECOSOCC Permanent General Assembly (PGA) brings together 209 civil society organizations from across and the ?!

⦿1️⃣6️⃣5️⃣ National CSOs (organizations legally registered and operating within an African Union Member State).
⦿1️⃣0️⃣ Regional (organizations operating in at least 2 AU Member States within one AU region).
⦿8️⃣ Continental (organizations operating in at least 3 AU Member States across at least 2 AU regions).
⦿2️⃣0️⃣ from the African Diaspora (organizations representing and/or comprised of the African Diaspora and registered outside the continent).
⦿6️⃣ Ex-officio (CSOs nominated by the AU).

Every seat represents a voice. Every voice represents a community.

The 5th PGA is calling for new members and your organization could be among them.

Applications are now open 👉🏾 ecosocc.au.int/connect

To every registered civil society organization across and the : the 5th ECOSOCC Permanent General Assembly is calling for applications, and we want yours!

We know you may have a few questions, so we're going to sit down with you, live, via Zoom to walk you through the process.

On June 15, our team will walk you through each step of the application and answer your questions in real time: https://bit.ly/3RmNb6r

If you have no questions, and are already a registered CSO with everything in hand, apply now at ecosocc.au.int/connect

Are You A Civil Society Organisation Seeking To Actively Contribute To Africa’s Transformation?

APPLY for the 5th ECOSOCC Permanent General Assembly and step forward to:

•Influence Africa’s developmental policies and programs
•Amplify Continental impact
•Join a powerful continental network of 200+ CSOs leading Africa’s socio-economic development Agenda
•Elevate grassroots perspectives to policy makers

How to Apply:

•Visit the ECOSOCC Connect platform: ecosocc.au.int/connect
•Create your user Account
•Register your organization and;
•Apply and submit your application into the 5th Permanent General Assembly.

Be part of the highest decision‑making body of ECOSOCC. It is where civil society voices converge to shape Africa’s transformation and development.

Applications close on 15 July 2026 | 17:00 CAT