President Jacob Zuma will tomorrow, 17 March 2012, attend an African Union (AU) Heads of State and Government Ad-Hoc Committee Meeting in Cotonou, Benin.
The meeting will focus on finding the best modality for the election of members of the AU Commissioners and its Chairperson which will be held at the next African Union Summit in July 2012 in Lilongwe, Malawi.
This ad hoc committee of Heads of State and government was set up following a deadlock in the voting of a new chairperson at the 18th Ordinary Session held in January, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
It includes one member state from each region (Algeria-North, Angola-Southern, Chad-Central, Côte d'Ivoire-West and Ethiopia-East), together with Benin as the Chairperson of the African Union. South Africa and Gabon also form part of this committee as they are the two countries who will at this stage field candidates for the position of the AU Chairperson.
South Africa will once again field Home Affairs Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma with the support of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
Since the establishment of the Organisation of African Unity 49 years ago and later the African Union, the southern region has never had the opportunity to lead the Pan African Body. The SADC region has to this end resolved to campaign for Dlamini Zuma as a bloc to ensure that the southern region makes history by leading this African body for the first time.
President Jacob Zuma said he hoped the meeting would find the best election module to ensure there was no further deadlocks at the next election. "We have to find a conclusive election module that will see us move forward with a united vision as the African Continent. Africa has a lot of challenges and opportunities which need immediate attention. We can not afford further delays in the election of a chairperson and commissioners," said President Zuma.
For enquiries, contact:
Mac Maharaj
Cell: 079 879 3203
