By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his satisfaction with the outcomes of the African Union’s 38th ordinary session of heads of state.
Ramaphosa participated in the 38th Ordinary Session of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU).
The summit was held under the theme: “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations’ from 15 – 16 February.
The 38th Ordinary Session of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) was organised by the African Union Commission (AUC).
The summit elected Djiboutian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Mahamoud Ali Youssouf as the new AU Commission chairperson, and Selma Haddadi, Algerian ambassador to Ethiopia, as the new AU Commission deputy chairperson.
Youssouf secured two-thirds of the region’s support, defeating former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
“We are very pleased with the outcomes we have had in this summit. The election of the new leadership of the AU” said Ramaphosa.
“We are consolidating the African Union to ensure that it continues to unite the continent. So we see progress here and we will continue seeing progress with the discussions that are going to go on because we didn’t only come for elections, we came for real discussions and decisions. So this has been a good summit.”
The summit also took note of South Africa’s presidency of the G20 and congratulated the country for being the first on the continent to host the bloc.
African Union (AU), G20 Sherpa and Commissioner of Trade and Industry Albert Muchanga said the AU sees SA’s G20 presidency “as a development of major significance”.
“First, this is the first time an African country chairs this informal group of global international cooperation. This is historical. Second, when you look at the priorities of the South African G20 presidency, they are aligned, [and] speak directly or indirectly to the programmes and strategies [of] the African Union Agenda 2063,” said Muchanga.
He added that the AU’s collaboration with SA did not start with SA’s G20 presidency.
“We have been coordinating positions in G20 meetings under the Brazilian G20 presidency, in line with modalities guiding the participation of the African Union in the G20, which were adopted by the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government in February 2024.”