Johannesburg: Perhaps ABBA’s song, Money, money, money, should be the African Union (AU) anthem. Similar refrains were the depressing mood music throughout most of the 39-year existence of its predecessor, the generally unlamented Organisation of African Unity (OAU), before it was put to sleep in 2002. For both bodies, whose combined 50th anniversary will be celebrated next May, finances have always been a debilitating problem.
Joint Communiqué at the conclusion of the bilateral discussions between President Jacob Zuma and President Joyce Banda on the occasion of President Banda’s working visit to South Africa, 27 April 2012:
Lilongwe: South African government has managed to secure support from southern and east African countries to vote in favour of its candidate who is eying the top post of African Union (AU) commission chairperson, a senior cabinet official has said.
Johannesburg: South Africa has done its homework and is lobbying tirelessly to secure the African Union (AU) chairmanship for its candidate, Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma , when the continental body holds its next summit in Malawi in June, a presidential adviser said yesterday.
Lilongwe: Local commentators agree that Malawi will be compelled to return the gesture that neighbouring South Africa has displayed during the funeral ceremony of president Bingu wa Mutharika by voting for that country's candidate in July elections for African Union Commission chair. The government, however, says it has not made a position yet on the election of the AUC chairperson.
Luanda: The Southern Africa Development Community (SADC)'s Double Troika are meeting Thursday in South Africa to assess the decisions from the latest meeting of the Group of 8 with the African Union, ANGOP has learnt.
The African Union Heads of State and Government, Ad-Hoc Committee, established following the deadlock in the election of the African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson in Ethiopia in January, met in Gabon on March 17, 2012. The meeting reportedly agreed on the process for the election of the AU Commissioner, to be presented at the next African Union (AU) Summit in July 2012 in Lilongwe, Malawi.
Kampala: The African Union is allergic to deadlock, even competition, when it comes to filling positions. It thrives on consensus. The January showdown over the AU Commission chairmanship between incumbent Jean Ping of Gabon and Nkosazana Clarice Dlamini-Zuma of South Africa was very much out of the script.
Your Excellency, dear brother, friend and Prime Minister of Mali, the Chair of our Meeting, Foreign Minister of Benin, who is representing the Chair of the AU, Other representatives of the AU present with us here, The representative of the UN led by our friend, Said Djinnit, Representatives of our regional organisations of the AU, in particular ECOWAS, Representatives of cooperating partners and partner countries present here today, Honourable Ministers, Ambassadors, Ladies and Gentlemen
Pretoria: South Africa has emphasised its commitment to continue contributing to the resolution of peace and security challenges facing Africa, as it prepares to relinquish its seat in the African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC). South Africa will be ending its current term in the council on 1 April 2012. In line with the principle of rotation amongst members of the southern region, Pretoria will be making way for two of its neighbours to also make a contribution to this AU important organ.
