President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania is the current chairman of the African Union. He will face the challenge of resolving conflicts in Kenya, Chad, Sudan and Somalia.
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UNION AFRICAINE
UNIÃO AFRICANA
Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA P. O. Box 3243 Téléphone : 5517 700 Fax : 5511299
web site: http://www. africa-union.org
DIVISION OF COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION
PRESS RELEASE N. 21/2008
ELECTION OF THE CHAIRPERSON AND DEPUTY CHAIPERSON OF THE AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION
Addis Ababa, 1st February 2008 – Gabonese Foreign Affairs Minister, Jean Ping, has been elected as the new Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC). The election took place today, Friday 1st February 2008, during the 10th Ordinary Session of the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Mr. Jean Ping was elected with a two thirds majority vote of the Assembly in conformity with the African Union rules of procedure in matters of elections for a four-year mandate at the helm of the Au Commission. He will be replacing the outgoing Chairperson of the Commission, Professor Alpha Oumar Konaré, from the Republic of Mali, who has been at the head of the African Union Commission from September 2003 up to date. (See biography of H.E. Jean Ping on the AU website: http://www.africa-union.org
On another note, Kenyan born Mr. Erastus Mwencha was elected as the Deputy Chairperson of the African of the African Union commission to replace Mr. Patrick Mazimhaka, from the Republic of Rwanda.
Mr. Mwencha is currently the Secretary General of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). (See the complete biography of Mr. Mwencha on the AU website: http://www.africa-union.org
The elections were chaired by the newly elected Chairperson of the African Union (AU), who is also president of the United Republic of Tanzania, H.E. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete. (See biography of President Jakaya Kikwete on the AU website: http://www.africa-union.org
AFRICAN UNION
UNION AFRICAINE
UNIÃO AFRICANA
Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA P. O. Box 3243 Téléphone : 5517 700 Fax : 5511299
web site: http://www. africa-union.org
DIVISION OF COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION
PRESS RELEASE N. 22/2008
ELECTION OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION
Addis Ababa, 1ST February 2008 – Seven (07) Commissioners out of the eight portfolios of the African Union Commission were elected today, Friday 2nd February 2008, within the framework of the 10th Ordinary Session of the African Union Summit of Heads of State and Government currently holding in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The elections took place under the chairmanship of the new Chair of the Executive Council who is also the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Republic of Tanzania, Honourable Bernard Membe.
The new Commissioners of the African Union are:
Peace and Security
Mr. Ramtane Lamamra (Algeria)
Political Affairs
Mrs. Julia Dolly Joiner (Gambia)
Infrastructure and Energy
Mrs. Elham Mahmood Ahmed Ibrahim (Egypt)
Social Affairs
Advocate. Bience Philomina Gawanas (Namibia)
Human Resources, Science and Technology
Mr. Jean Pierre Onvehoun Ezin (Benin)
Trade and Industry
Mrs. Elizabeth Tankeu (Cameroon)
Economic Affairs
Dr. Maxwell Mkwezalamba (Malawi)
Regarding the post for the Commissioner of Rural Economy and Agriculture, the new Commissioner will be elected at an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers billed for Arusha, Tanzania, in the first week of April 2008.
The election was postponed to conform to the African Union rules in respect to regional and Gender balance. Of Africa’s five regions, the eastern region did not have a female commissioner during the election. The post of Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture has therefore been reserved for a female candidate from the eastern region.
DIVISION OF COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION
PRESS RELEASE N. 20/2008
COMPOSITION OF THE BUREAU OF THE 10TH SUMMIT OF THE AFRICAN UNION
Addis Ababa, 31 January 2008 - A new bureau of the African Union has been elected. The election took place during the 10th Ordinary Session of the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The list of the new bureau consists of the following members:
Chairperson – Republic of Tanzania – (East)
First Deputy Chairperson – Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya – (North)
Second Deputy Chairperson – Kingdom of Lesotho –(South)
Third Deputy Chairperson – Cameroon – (Centre)
Rapporteur Ghana – (West)
Meanwhile, the new Chairperson of the African Union for the 2008 executive year, H.E Jakaya Kikwete, President of the Republic of Tanzania, in his speech expressed gratitude for being chosen by his peers as the new Chair to pilot the affairs of the Union. He promised to contribute to efforts to insure peace and security within the continent.
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