10 Apr 2016

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi has officially announced her candidature for the position of chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC).

Addressing a press conference, on Friday, Dr Venson-Moitoi thanked President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama and the leaders of the Southern Africa region for demonstrating confidence for endorsing her candidacy for the important position in the continental body. 

She said she had the requisite skills, competencies and experience that would catapult Africa’s transformation process, thus unleashing her potential to become an effective and influential player in global affairs. 

“The support of all member States of the African Union (AU) will be most invaluable for my candidacy for the position of AU Commission chairperson, as I trust that it will positively re-enforce ownership, commitment, attainment and implementation of the continental agenda and the realisation of the future we want,” she said. 

The AU, she said was at a critical juncture in the continent’s development trajectory, adding that the new chairperson would take over in June 2016 “with an onerous task” of overseeing the implementation of the union’s newly adopted fifty-year development vision dubbed: Agenda 2063. 

Agenda 2063, she said was firmly grounded on the AU vision of an integrated prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the international arena.  

“I have faith in the AU and indeed Botswana believes in the instrumentality of multilateral organisations, including the AU. That is the compelling justification of our joining the membership of the Organisation of African Union, as it was back then, within just one month of our independence, in October 31, 1966,” she said.

“I am an agent of the sustainable transformation agenda that is geared towards Africa’s transformation process, thus unleashing her potential to become an effective and influential player in global affairs,” she added.

A lot, Dr Venson-Moitoi said had been achieved at the AU, and a lot still needed to be done. Therefore, as chairperson of the Commission, she said she would provide necessary guidance for programme formulation and prioritization- driving the potential to become an effective and influential player in global affairs.

One of her immediate preoccupations, as the AUC chairperson, she said would be to provide leadership towards rationalising the continental body’s needs and aspirations with the minimal resources at its disposal.

Additionally, as the Accountable Official, she said it would be her priviledge to ensure prudent management and utilisation of the limited resources as contributed by member states and development partners. 

“Furthermore, I am convinced that together we can build a stronger, more coherent and more effective and results-oriented AU, and present it as a high performance organisation,” said Dr Venson-Moitoi.

To this end, she said it was imperative to have an efficient and effective AUC human resource with a rich inventory of skills necessary to develop innovative solutions and approaches for the realisation of a common agenda.

Furthermore, she said the Continent’s leaders had since agreed on the First Ten Year Implementation Plan, which was adopted at the June 2015 Heads of State and Government Summit; and this would be an important launch-pad for the work of the new chairperson, in respect of its long term aspirations. 

In an effort to drive the AU towards the ideal of “The Africa We Want”, Dr Venson-Moitoi said she recognised that she would depend greatly on the continued commitment and support of the AU member states in execution of her new role as the chairperson of the Union’s Commission. 

Furthermore, she said she recognised that “we live in a world with daunting challenges which respect no borders that no country, big or small, rich or poor can solve problems on its own. More than ever, we live in an era of collective action. In this regard, this vision for achieving an integrated, peaceful, developed, united and prosperous Africa is, in my view, shared across the continent.” 

The position of chairperson of the AUC will fall vacant in June 2016, when the incumbent, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma leaves office after her four-year term. Ends