The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, is in Equatorial Guinea where he is leading South Africa’s delegation at the 47th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Executive Council.
The session which is underway in Malabo, began on Thursday, 10 July 2025.
According to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, the Council will consider and adopt the AU budget for the 2026 period.
“The budget is a key enabler for the AU to address challenges facing the continent, ensuring Africa’s continued resilience and the sustenance of the AU Commission, which is the key implementing agent for AU decisions,” the statement read.
The Council is expected to elect and appoint two outstanding Commissioners for Economic Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals (ETTIM) and for Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation (ESTI).
The department announced that the Minister will take this opportunity to inform his counterparts about the progress made during South Africa’s Group of 20 (G20) Presidency.
The G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg, scheduled for November 2025, represents an opportunity to amplify Africa's voice on the global stage.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s participation during this Ordinary Session of the Executive Council is rooted in its commitment to strengthening the AU and its organs.
“We aim to ensure our union effectively pursues the noble aspiration of Silencing the Guns by 2030; the accelerated implementation of the second Ten-Year Plan of Agenda 2063, which embodies our collective vision for prosperity; and the robust advancement of the African Continental Free Trade Area,” Lamola explained.
Beyond the formal agenda, the department said the Minister will seek to foster deeper solidarity by holding bilateral meetings with his counterparts aimed at exchanging views on issues of mutual interest.
The meeting will conclude on Friday, 11 July 2025.
– SAnews.gov.za
