Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma will tomorrow jet off to Cotonou, Benin, to attend the African Union (AU) Heads of State and Government Ad Hoc Committee Meeting.
The meeting, which will be attended by Heads of State from each region -- Algeria-North, Angola-Southern, Chad-Central, Cote d'Ivoire-West and Ethiopia-East -- will focus on finding the best modality for the election of members of the AU Commissioners and its chairperson, which will be held at the next summit in Malawi in July.
This Ad Hoc Committee was set up following a deadlock during the voting for a new chairperson at the 18th Ordinary Session held in January, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
South Africa and Gabon also form part of this Committee as they are the two countries who will at this stage field candidates for the position of the chairperson.
Zuma said he hoped the meeting would find the best election module to ensure there was not another deadlock at the next election.
In January after three rounds of fierce competition, none of the two candidates - incumbent AUC Chairperson Jean Ping and Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma - were able to clinch the required two-thirds of votes.
"We have to find a conclusive election module that will see us move forward with a united vision as the African continent. Africa has a lot of challenges and opportunities which need immediate attention.
"We cannot afford further delays in the election of a chairperson and commissioners," said Zuma.
South Africa will once again field Dlamini-Zuma with the support of the SADC region.
Since the establishment of the Organisation of African Unity 49 years ago and later the African Union, the Southern Region has never had the opportunity to lead the Pan-African body.
