Warm greetings to the ACCA community. The ACCA year got off to a quick start with the 2nd ACCA in-person SC meeting which took place in Abuja, Nigeria from 11-13 January. An article on this meeting is featured in this edition of the ACCA newsletter.

The ACCA website now boasts a dedicated page where reports, articles and toolkits with a special focus on communities have been uploaded to the reports page which may be found here. This dedicated page seeks assist ACCA and its member organisations in fulfilling our common objective: supporting African communities and individuals whose human rights are adversely impacted daily by the activities of corporations, both multi‐national and domestic. Member organisations are invited to contribute to the resource page by sending their reports/publications/toolkits to the Coordinator.

External research consultants have been nominated by the Steering Committee members and work on phase 1 of the research project is underway. Members of the ACCA Working Groups on access to remedy and Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) repsectively are requested regulary check their their emails, as the research consultants will soon be in touch with them.

The 4th ACCA General Assembly will be taking place in Nairobi, Kenya in October this year. The theme for this year’s GA is access to remedy. A save the date notice will be sent out in due course. The upcoming GA will provide the opportunity to present the ACCA Working Groups’ reports on FPIC and access to remedy, and will offer capacity building sessions. We appeal to all ACCA members to diarise this event and start settings funds aside.

ACCA members are invited to continually engage with both the Secretariat and the ACCA Steering Committee members within their region for any information or suggestions relating to ACCA.

We hope you enjoy this edition of the ACCA Newsletter.

Damian Oakes