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Mnangagwa leaves for AU Summit
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President Emmerson Mnangagwa, in his capacity as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) chairperson, has departed for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to attend the 38th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Summit. The summit, which will address key political, economic, and social issues affecting the continent, will also focus on the theme "Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations."
The President was seen off at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport by Vice Presidents Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi, Government Ministers, Service Chiefs, and senior Government officials.
During the summit, President Mnangagwa is expected to participate in bilateral meetings with other African leaders aimed at fostering deeper cooperation and strengthening relations between Zimbabwe and other nations.
The summit's theme was decided during the 37th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly in February 2023 and underscores the African Union's continued push for reparative justice for historical injustices against Africans and people of African descent.
Emergency Session on DRC Crisis
Before the main summit this weekend, African leaders will hold an emergency session on Friday to address the escalating violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The eastern region of the DRC has been plagued by conflict, with the M23 armed group seizing large parts of the mineral-rich area.
This emergency session follows a joint summit of eastern and southern African blocs last week, which called for a ceasefire and a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
The summit will also see a change in leadership within the AU. Angolan President João Lourenço is set to assume the rotating presidency of the African Union. Meanwhile, a new AU Commission Chairperson will be elected, as the incumbent, Moussa Faki Mahamat of Chad, has reached the two-term limit.
The position, currently reserved for an East African representative, has three contenders: Djibouti's Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Kenyan politician Raila Odinga, and Madagascar's former Foreign Minister Richard Randriamandrato.
As President Mnangagwa joins other African leaders at this critical summit, discussions are expected to shape the continent's collective approach to addressing long-standing issues such as justice, conflict resolution, and economic development.
The President was seen off at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport by Vice Presidents Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi, Government Ministers, Service Chiefs, and senior Government officials.
During the summit, President Mnangagwa is expected to participate in bilateral meetings with other African leaders aimed at fostering deeper cooperation and strengthening relations between Zimbabwe and other nations.
The summit's theme was decided during the 37th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly in February 2023 and underscores the African Union's continued push for reparative justice for historical injustices against Africans and people of African descent.
Emergency Session on DRC Crisis
This emergency session follows a joint summit of eastern and southern African blocs last week, which called for a ceasefire and a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
The summit will also see a change in leadership within the AU. Angolan President João Lourenço is set to assume the rotating presidency of the African Union. Meanwhile, a new AU Commission Chairperson will be elected, as the incumbent, Moussa Faki Mahamat of Chad, has reached the two-term limit.
The position, currently reserved for an East African representative, has three contenders: Djibouti's Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Kenyan politician Raila Odinga, and Madagascar's former Foreign Minister Richard Randriamandrato.
As President Mnangagwa joins other African leaders at this critical summit, discussions are expected to shape the continent's collective approach to addressing long-standing issues such as justice, conflict resolution, and economic development.
Source - The Chronicle
