Sudan drums up support for his candidates at the African Union

June 6, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir has made intensive contacts with a number of his African counterparts to rally support for Sudan’s candidates to several African Union Commission’s (AUC) positions, said Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour.

In press statements on Monday, Ghandour disclosed that his ministry has formed a committee to garner support for Sudan’s candidates within various regional and international organizations and institutions.

According to Ghandour, Sudan has nominated former Foreign Ministry Under-Secretary Rahamt Allah Mohamed Osman for the AUC’s Political Affairs commissioner post besides nominating former Minister of Social Welfare Amira al-Fadil for the Social Affairs commissioner position.

The Sudanese top diplomat pointed that he also made contacts with several of his African counterparts to support Sudan’s candidates.

The member states of the African Union are divided into five geographic regions of the African Union including the North, West, East, Southern and Central regions. Sudan falls into the Eastern region.

Thirty four candidates from the various African regions would compete for the AUC’s posts including the Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson and eight commissioners next month.

Last April, Ghandour called for the need to distribute the posts of the top AU offices equally among the regions and countries, pointing that some founding members of the African Unity Organization didn’t get the opportunity to be represented in the top AU executive and leadership offices.

It is noteworthy that the Horn countries are underrepresented at the AU institutions due to wars in Somalia, Eritrea and Ethiopia besides the sanctions imposed on Sudan while the North African countries have shown asceticism to assume AU positions.

The AUC acts as the executive/administrative branch or secretariat of the AU. It consists of Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson and eight commissioners dealing with different areas of policy.

On the other hand, West and Central African countries, who are engaged in an economic integration, dominate all the AU organs.

The commissioners are elected by the AU Executive Council and appointed by the Assembly.

Under article 6 of the Commission Statutes, the region from which the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson are appointed is entitled to one commissioner each. All other regions shall be entitled to two commissioners. At least one commissioner from each region shall be a woman.

The Commission is head-quartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.