31 Jan 2017

Minister of International Affairs and Cooperation, Dr Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi, has thanked Batswana for their support in her race for the African Union Commission (AUC) chair.

Speaking in an interview after the elections on Monday, Dr Venson-Moitoi said even though she lost, she appreciated the energy and resolve that the nation showed in her campaign and the robust campaign that was evident in her team.

Dr Venson-Moitoi lost to Chad's foreign minister, Mr Moussa Faki Mahamat in a highly contested race, coming third after Kenya's Ms Amina Mohammed.

The continental bloc was repeating the elections after failing to garner sufficient votes needed for the position at the AU summit in Rwanda last July.

The position was left vacant when Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma of South Africa opted not to seek the second term.

At the Kigali summit, Dr Venson-Moitoi led the final round of elections, but could not garner the 36 votes needed to fill the position of the AUC chairperson that required two third majority votes of the 54-member states continental bloc.

Dr Venson-Moitoi said elections were not only about one's capability, but there were many determining factors of winning the position.

For example, she said countries looked at their interests. She also said out of the SADC membership, they only counted on 10 votes because five countries in the SADC region belonged to COMESA, whose Kenya is a member, hence rallying behind Ms Mohammed.

“And indeed the first round of elections produced the 10 votes that we projected,” she said.

With regards to speculations that President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama contributed to her loss by not attending AU gatherings, she said those were not true, noting that President Khama was not the only head of state who was not attending the AU summit.

She said when President Khama assumed office; he delegated some roles to the Vice President.

“When President Khama assumed office, he delegated the VP to attend some meetings on his behalf so that he can concentrate on other things that are equally important.

Mr Masisi attends AU and United Nations conventions on behalf of President Khama,” she said.

Chairperson of the campaign, also Assistant Minister of Health and Wellness, Mr Dikgang Makgalemele said in an interview that the team was humbled for taking part in a campaign for a credible candidate in Dr Venson-Moitoi.

His reaction to the outcome of the election was that 'it was evident that SADC was not united contrary to what was displayed during lobby meetings. He said evidence of a divided SADC was further demonstrated when commissioners were elected in other portfolios.

“Our strategy was based on SADC being together all the way with its 15 votes that make up the regional bloc.  We must lead the process of a united SADC, because collectively we can achieve a lot,” he said.

He said most countries and regions had pledged support if only SADC could have demonstrated oneness.

He further said a lot had been learnt from the campaign and that adequate resources were key to any campaign and that perhaps a policy on how to support candidates for international organisations was also a necessity.

He said some countries had brought intelligence support services to validate promises.ENDS