As a joint AU-German Government initiative, the GIZ project "Citizen Engagement and Innovative Data Use for Africa's Development (DataCipation)" project aims to strengthen the engagement between AU Organs, Regional Economic Communities, Member States and citizens leveraging data, digital and non-digital approaches for good governance and development, with activities in three interrelated action areas:

• Strengthening cooperation between AU Member States and the African digital innovation system;
• Leveraging participatory, inclusive and innovative communication opportunities for African citizens;
• Fostering multi-stakeholder dialogue on good governance in digital contexts.

Core activities for the joint cooperation (with the Bureau of the Chairperson at the African Union Commission and Information and Communication Directorate of the African Union Commission (ICD/AUC)) are the development and implementation of communication formats enabling participatory, inclusive and creative engagement for citizens in line with the AU brand identity as well as capacity development for AU staff on interactive communication tools and methodologies.
While the need to communicate policies and engage stakeholders into policy processes cuts across all thematic policy areas, it is especially strong for AU flagship projects such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The AfCFTA aims at creating an African continental market for goods, services and investment. It is a core element of the AU Agenda 2063. Therefore, as a second project under this contract, the GIZ Support Project to the AfCFTA (AfCTA project) is supported through professional communication services.