President Zuma to Attend the African Union Summit in Ethiopia
PRETORIA, South Africa, January 24, 2018/ — President Jacob Zuma will travel to Addis Ababa in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to attend the 30th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) scheduled to take place from 28-29 January 2018.
The AU Assembly is preceded by meetings of the Permanent Representatives Committee on 22 and 23 January 2018 as well as the meeting of the Executive Council on 25 to 26 January 2018.
The theme of the AU for the year 2018, under which its Summits will be held, is: “Winning the Fight against Corruption: A Sustainable Path to Africa’s Transformation”. The theme presents a unique opportunity to reflect on and address specific challenges related to the fight against corruption on the Continent.
The AU Summit is expected to deliberate on a number of issues, including institutional reforms of the AU, continental free trade and the state of peace and security on the continent.
South Africa, in its capacity as Chair of SADC, has been mandated to present the SADC common position on the AU Institutional Reforms as adopted by the 37th SADC Summit in August 2017.
The Report of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) on its activities and the State of Peace and Security in Africa is a standard item on the agenda of the Assembly. The report provides a summary of key meetings and activities of the PSC since the Summit in July 2017. Some of the countries under consideration include Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Libya, Mali and the Sahel, Somalia, South Sudan and Western Sahara. The Assembly will also consider the Report of the PSC on the Implementation of the Master Roadmap of Practical Steps to Silence the Guns in Africa by the Year 2020.
The January 2018 Summit will elect ten (10) Members of the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC). The incumbent ten (10) members of the AU PSC that were elected in January 2016 have their terms expiring on 30 March 2018.
It is also expected that the 36th Session of the NEPAD HSGOC will convene on the margins of the Summit. President Zuma will also participate in the session.
The President will be accompanied to the AU Summit by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms Maite Nkoana-Mashabane; Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Ms Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula; Minister of Transport, Mr Joe Maswanganyi; Minister of Public Service and Administration, Ms Faith Muthambi and the Minister of State Security, Adv Bongani Bongo.
