The General Assembly of the “3rd Mock AU,” organized by the Mock AU Executive Committee (a student volunteer group) and co-hosted by JICA, UNDP, and Sophia University, was held at Sophia University on May 17, 2026, as part of “Africa Weeks,” an event organized by Sophia University in anticipation of Africa Day on May 25. This year saw a record number of 326 applicants. Ultimately, approximately 160 participants, including high school students, represented 42 African countries (with participants from Asia and Europe joining for the first time alongside those from Japan and Africa). After extensive discussions in three specialized subcommittees, three resolutions were adopted at the general assembly, and the event concluded.
Group photo of participants and speakers
Speakers at the general meeting included Sugiura, President of Sophia University; Ezakanwa, Director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa (Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations); Takahashi, Director-General of the African Affairs Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Prudence, Director of the Department of Women, Gender, and Youth at the African Union Commission (via video message); and Nakamura, Special Advisor to the President of JICA.
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This event was co-hosted by the Mock AU Student Executive Committee, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and Sophia University with the aim of providing students from Africa and Japan with an opportunity to engage deeply with African nations and formulate policies. Modelled after the AU Assembly, the decision-making body of the African Union, approximately 160 participants—including high school students—took part as representatives of 42 African countries (with participants from Asia and Europe joining for the first time alongside those from Japan and Africa). They engaged in three specialized committees: (1) Public Services, Governance, and Peace: peacebuilding and social cohesion, etc.; (2) Finance, Economic Planning, and Integration: the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the digital economy, etc.; and (3) Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation: digital technology and AI governance, etc.), and each group engaged in discussions from the perspective of representing their respective African nations.
Each team spent several months preparing position papers from their respective national perspectives in preparation for the General Assembly. In addition, a preparatory meeting was held on May 16, the day before the General Assembly, to finalize arrangements for each subcommittee.
Finally, the mock AU General Assembly adopted the proposals from each subcommittee as mock AU resolutions (STC1, STC2, and STC3) and adjourned.
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In addition, following the closing ceremony, an awards ceremony was held to present the Best Delegation Award and the Best Position Paper Award, and all participants were presented with certificates of participation in the mock AU.
Best Delegation Award: Delegation from Liberia
Best Position Paper Award: Representative from Egypt Best Position Paper Award: Representative from Libya Best Position Paper Award: Representative from Nigeria
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