On 27 July 2022, ACCORD hosted the launch of ACCORD Senior Political Advisor, Ambassador Said Djinnit’s book The Maputo Notebook or my Love Letter to the African Woman. The dialogue session was moderated by H.E Ambassador Minata Samate, African Union Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development.
Presentations were made by a number of high profile individuals, which included H.E Sahle-Work Zewde, the President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, and H.E. Leila Zerrougui, Special Envoy in charge of major international partnerships at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Algerian Community abroad. Representatives from the United Nations (UN) included, H.E. Mahamat Saleh Annadif, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel; H.E. Xia Huang, UN Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region; and H.E. Alejandro Alvarez, Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in Algeria, also delivered presentations. H.E Ambassador Fred Ngoga, who is the focal point for International partnerships African Union Border Programme and Regional Security Mechanism in the Office of the African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security also contributed to the discussions.
The book The Maputo Notebook or my Love Letter to the African Woman offers Ambassador Djinnit’s account of the circumstances under which the Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa was adopted during the Maputo Summit when he was Interim Commissioner of the African Union for political affairs, peace and security. In his writing, Ambassador Djinnit also touches on his childhood and where he drew inspiration for the fight for women’s rights in Africa.
Ambassador Djinnit has written this book as a tribute to the women of Africa.
