07 Apr 2016

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr Pelonomi Venson-Motoi will address  the media today at the Office of the Ombudsman.

A statement from BGCIS states that the purpose of the briefing will be to further inform the media about her candidature for the position of African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson.

The statement says Dr Venson-Moitoi submitted her name for the position after she was endorsed as the candidate for the Southern Africa Region at the meeting of the region’s ministers of foreign affairs held in Gaborone on March 23.It also states that as the candidate for the Southern African Region, Dr Venson-Moitoi will compete for the position with candidates from other regions of Africa.

The current AUC chairperson, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma’s four-year term of office will end in June. 

Elections for the new chairperson will be held during the 27^th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, which will take place from 17 to 18 June in Kigali, Rwanda.

The AUC chairperson is the chief executive officer, legal representative of the AU and the commission’s accounting officer. 

The chairperson also exercises executive functions in the running of the AU affairs and is responsible for the delivery of the agenda of the organisation aimed at advancing greater continental integration for a more prosperous Africa.

The AU Commission comprises of the chairperson, deputy chairperson and eight commissioners of peace and security, political affairs, trade and industry, infrastructure and energy, social affairs, rural economy and agriculture, human resources, science and technology, and economic affairs. Ends