Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma has returned to South Africa after attending the 28th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
President Zuma was particularly pleased that the summit was able to discuss and finalise critical matters including institutional reforms of the AU aimed at enhancing the continental body's governance systems, as well as issues around peace and security in the continent.
“The summit managed to thoroughly discuss the recommendations of the report by Rwandan President Paul Kagame on institutional reform of the AU, which will help transform the way the organisation is operating and improve its governance systems," said President Zuma in a statement on Tuesday.
He said the report presented methods on how the AU should raise funds to finance its projects and be financially self-dependent, without relying much on external donors which would help the organisation to take noble and independent decisions.
“We also received a report on the political and security situation in Libya and the Summit accepted the progress made by the AU High Level Committee on Libya to resolve the impasse and create a fully operational Government National Accord.”
Morocco’s readmission into AU
The AU Summit also discussed and deliberated on the application by the Kingdom of Morocco to be re-admitted as a member of the AU, with the majority of Member States finally voting to admit the Kingdom into the AU.
“We have accepted the outcomes of the summit on the readmission of Morocco to promote unity and coherence within the continent.
“However, there were strong views from member states that by virtue of acceding to the Constitutive Act, Morocco should abide by all provisions of the Act and immediately resolve its relations with the Western Sahara to ensure territorial integrity between the two nations.
“The summit agreed on the view that the African Union should prioritise the impasse between the two countries to change the status quo, otherwise we would risk undermining the principles on which the AU was constituted, as articulated in the Constitutive Act,” said President Zuma.
Youth development
He said the summit also emphasised the need for an integrated approach to improve youth development across the continent and that member states should invest in young people to fight the high levels of unemployment, poverty and ensure full participation of young people in the economic activities.
New AU Chairperson
President Zuma also congratulated Chad Foreign Minister Moussa Mahamat, who was elected as the new African Union Commission Chairperson.
Minister Mahamat replaced South Africa's Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma whose term came to an end in June 2016 and was extended by the AU leaders until the January 2017 Summit to enable the AU to elect a successor.
President Zuma was accompanied by International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Defence and Military Veterans Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, State Security Minister David Mahlobo, Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Jeff Radebe; Public Service and Administration Minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi, Public Service and Administration Deputy Minister Ayanda Dlodlo, and Deputy Minister in the Presidency, Buti Manamela. - SAnews.gov.za
