Zimbabwe’s Mugabe elected new AU chairman
By Tesfa-Alem Tekle
January 30, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe, currently Africa’s oldest head of state, has been elected the new chairperson of the 54-member African Union (AU).
“By electing me to preside over this august body, with full knowledge of the onerous responsibility that lies ahead, I humbly accept your collective decision,” Mugabe told the annual assembly of African leaders at the AU’s headquarters in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
Mugabe, 90, told African leaders to stand guard against foreigners who intend to exploit the continent’s mineral wealth and huge agricultural potential.
“African resources should belong to Africa and to no one else, except to those we invite as friends. Friends we shall have, yes, but imperialists and colonialists no more,” he said receiving applause from the house.
Mugabe, a former guerrilla leader who is seen as a national hero, is facing travel bans imposed by the United States and the European Union for political oppression and crack down on opponents to maintain his grip on to power.
Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe since the country gained independence in 1980.
As chairman of the continental bloc, some political analysts say Mugabe could influence interests and policies western nations have had towards the continent.
But some western diplomatic sources say Mugabe’s new post would not affect relations between Africa and western nations.
It also emerged that western nations were not supportive of Mugabe’s election and some unconfirmed sources allege they unsuccessfully tried to block his election.
Abel Abate Demissie, a senior researcher at the Ethiopian International Institute for Peace and Development (EIIPD) defends Mugabe’s election arguing he has met all the requirements set to the position.
“Had it not been his relation with the west, Mugabe has much better democratic credentials with several other west darling dictators,” Demissie told Sudan Tribune.
Although the AU remains dependent ton the west for financial and political supports, Demissie stresses the continent should show the world that it strictly adheres its principles.
“[The] AU shouldn’t necessarily condemn all what is condemned by the west,” he said, adding “AU has done good job on ICC and now on Mugabe”.
The AU chairmanship is the organisation’s one-year rotating chair amongst the five regions of the continent.
Conflict in Africa, Nigeria’s Boko Haram terror group, the battle against Ebola and empowering women are top of the agenda of the 24th African leaders gathering.
Leaders are also pushing for a power-sharing deal between South Sudan’s rival leaders, president Salva Kiir and Riek Machar, to end the more than one-year-long conflict in the young nation.
South Sudan’s warring parties are holding meeting on the sidelines of the AU summit and have till Saturday to come up with a lasting peace deal risk facing IGAD actions.
The continental summit is being held under theme: “Year of Women’s Empowerment and Development towards Africa’s Agenda 2063”.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International has urged Mugabe to use his position to address key human rights concerns in the different parts of Africa, including his own country.
“There is an urgent need for the AU to take more concrete steps to effectively address the massive human rights violations resulting from the many conflicts taking place in several parts of the continent,” Netsanet Belay, Amnesty International’s Africa director for research and advocacy, said.
“President Mugabe should use his time as chairperson to restore stability in parts of the region that have been ravaged by conflicts,” he added.
(ST)