News / National
Zimbabwe to host AU security meeting next week
08 May 2015 at 13:10hrs | Views
Zimbabwe will next week host a special African Union (AU) meeting on defence and security that will focus on progress made on the establishment of an African standby force, New Ziana reported Thursday.
Defence Minister Sydney Sekeramayi was quoted by the state-run news agency as saying that the meeting, to be held under the auspices of the AU Commission for Peace and Security, will run from May 11-16 in the resort town of Victoria Falls.
He said nearly 1,000 delegates from all the 54 African countries were expected to attend the meeting to be graced by AU Commission chairperson Nkosazana Dhlamini Zuma and AU Commissioner for Peace and Security, Ambassador Smail Chergui.
"This meeting is expected to receive updates on progress so far made in the operationalization of the African Peace and Security Architecture in general, but most importantly the African Standby Force and its rapid deployment capabilities," said Sekeramayi.
The African Standby Force has been on the cards for a number of years but the regional grouping has said the force must become a reality this year.
Sekeramayi said the establishment of the force was critical to avoid Africa's reliance on external security forces in dealing with defence and security challenges on the continent.
Modalities such as the cost of establishing the force and its size will also be discussed during the meeting, the minister added.
Defence Minister Sydney Sekeramayi was quoted by the state-run news agency as saying that the meeting, to be held under the auspices of the AU Commission for Peace and Security, will run from May 11-16 in the resort town of Victoria Falls.
He said nearly 1,000 delegates from all the 54 African countries were expected to attend the meeting to be graced by AU Commission chairperson Nkosazana Dhlamini Zuma and AU Commissioner for Peace and Security, Ambassador Smail Chergui.
"This meeting is expected to receive updates on progress so far made in the operationalization of the African Peace and Security Architecture in general, but most importantly the African Standby Force and its rapid deployment capabilities," said Sekeramayi.
The African Standby Force has been on the cards for a number of years but the regional grouping has said the force must become a reality this year.
Sekeramayi said the establishment of the force was critical to avoid Africa's reliance on external security forces in dealing with defence and security challenges on the continent.
Modalities such as the cost of establishing the force and its size will also be discussed during the meeting, the minister added.
Source - Baku-APA
