ADDIS ABABA- President of the Republic Abdelaziz Bouteflika has been elected, by his African peers, vice-chairman of the African Union (AU), for a one year term, in the 28th ordinary summit whose works started Monday in Addis Ababa, said the Algerian delegation.
The summit, whose works are held behind closed doors, has elected also three vice-chairmen, each representing a region of the continent for a renewable one year term.
Guinean President Alpha Conde has been elected AU’s chairman for the year 2017, replacing Chadian President Idriss Deby.
The renewal of the African Union (AU) Commission, the reform of the Union institutions as well as the questions of peace, security and development will be at the centre of the 28th African Union Summit which opens on Monday in Addis Ababa.
The two -day ordinary session of the Summit of the AU Heads of State and Government, placed under the theme of: “Harnessing the Demographic Dividend through Investments in Youth” will see the election of new president of the AU Commission.
Five candidates run for succeeding to South African Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, in office since 2012.
The candidates are Ministers of Foreign affairs of Chad, Moussa Faki Mahamat, Kenya Amina Mohamed Jibril, of Botswana Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi, of Equatorial Guinea Agapito Mba Mokuy and Former Senegalese minister Abdoulaye Bathily.
The election was to take place during July 2016 summit in Kigali, Rwanda, but it was postponed to the Addis Ababa summit.
The President of the AU Commission is elected by Conference for four-year term renewable once. The vote is held behind closed doors. Each candidate must win at least 36 notes out of 54.
Besides the election of the Commission head, the Heads of the State and Government should also pick the vice-president and the eight commissioners encompassing the Commission.
Outgoing AU Peace and Security Commissioner, Smaïl Chergui from Algeria is also candidate (for this post) with Nigeria’s Fatima Kyari Mohammed.
Reform of AU institutions
The other important file which will be examined by the African leaders is the question of the AU Institutions reform, meant to “reinvigorate the organization’s action and enable it to adapt to the changes in the continent and in the world.”
This mission was entrusted, during Kigali summit, to Rwanda President Paul Kagame, who formed a team composed of nine eminent advisers from the entire continent.
He should submit a report to the African leaders.
The objective of the reform is adapting the Pan-African reform and giving it a new impetus for “more efficiency and presence on the continental scene.”
This reform also aims reinforcing the AU means for the achievement of the objectives included in the Agenda 2063
Source: President Bouteflika elected AU’s vice-chairman for 2017
