Gaborone, Botswana, 20th November 2017; African Union Commission Deputy Chairperson H.E Ambassador Kwesi Quartey has arrived in Gaborone, Botswana, for a one-day State visit.

During his visit, the Deputy Chairperson is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on His Excellency Ian Khama, the President of the Republic of Botswana, to discuss among other issues, the ongoing institutional reforms of the African Union, the latest political developments in Zimbabwe and the upcoming African Union- European Union Summit.

Speaking ahead of the visit, in respect to the ongoing political developments in Zimbabwe, Amb. Kwesi reiterated that the African Union was optimistic that all the stakeholders would address the situation in accordance with the Constitution of Zimbabwe and the relevant instruments of the African Union, including the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance. He lauded efforts by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to find an amicable resolution to the situation that continues to cause anxiety to the country. “The African Union will support SADC in their efforts to encourage stakeholders to find a peaceful and constitutional resolve to the crisis. Bostwana, in its history, is remembered for the role the late former Botswana president Sir Ketumile Masire played in the Inter-Congolese dialogue during the civil war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and several other mediation roles therefore we are hopeful it is the same spirit Botswana and other regional leaders have, and will continue to show as we stand and support our one of our own during this crisis”, the Deputy Chairperson stated.

The Southern African regional bloc, Angola, Tanzania and Zambia are expected to hold a meeting this week, to deliberate on Zimbabwe's political situation.

Amb. Kwesi is also expected to brief the President on the progress on the implementation of the proposed recommendations for institutional reforms to improve the efficiency of the African Union. The Deputy Chairperson said “continuous engagement and consultations are important aspects of the implementation process to ensure the good intentions of the reforms are translated into action”. Following the July 2017 Assembly of Heads of State and Government, the summit agreed that the implementation of the reforms would take into account views from the member states.

The discussions between the African Union Commission and the presidency are also expected to focus on Agenda 2063, its domestication at the national levels and the indicators of its implementation for the benefit of the African citizenry. Further, with the upcoming highly anticipated 5th African Union - European Union Summit, the Deputy Chairperson will brief President Khama on the status of participation, the preparation of the documents to be considered by the Heads of State and the ongoing youth engagement ahead of the Summit to be held on the theme “investing in the youth for a sustainable future”. Amb. Kwesi observed “this is a landmark Summit and we want Africa to speak in one voice and to have the full participation and engagement of all our 55 member states. If you look at the theme of the Summit, it is in realization that we need to improve the current state of Africa’s youth development and empowerment, our actions therefore will have a huge impact on Africa’s future prospects.”

The Summit is scheduled for the 29th to the 30th of November 2017 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

For media enquiries Contact:
Doreen Apollos | Communication Advisor | Bureau of the Deputy Chairperson | E-mail: ApollosD@africa-union.org | Tel: +251 115182737
Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@africa-union.org I Web Site: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia
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The African Union spearheads Africa’s development and integration in close collaboration with African Union Member States, the Regional Economic Communities and African citizens. AU Vision: to accelerate progress towards an integrated, prosperous and inclusive Africa, at peace with itself, playing a dynamic role in the continental and global arena, effectively driven by an accountable, efficient and responsive Commission. Learn more at: http://www.au.int/en/