President Zuma pleased with outcomes of AU Summit
31 January 2016
President Jacob Zuma has welcomed the outcome of the 26th Ordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU), in Addis Ababa, describing the Summit as having been a success with regards to the substantive issues discussed.
The Summit, took place under the theme 2016 - African Year of Human Rights, with Particular Focus on Women’s Rights, ended earlier today.
“We leave Addis feeling very satisfied following successful deliberations at the summit on all the substantive issues”, President Zuma said.
The Summit considered a number of matters, including the efforts already underway to realise the continental vision for the next 50 years of the existence of the AU, known as Agenda 2063, the status of peace and security in the continent, financing and governance of the AU and its programmes as well as AU programmes such as the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) projects and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).
The Summit noted with satisfaction that the first 10-year implementation plan is being rolled out and that member states have begun the process of linking their national developmental plans with Agenda 2063.
President Zuma, as chair of the Presidential Infrastructure Championing Initiative, which is a NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee project, presented a report on the progress made in infrastructure development. The President also made a special input on the decision to integrate the APRM into the AU, which will assist to reinvigorate and mainstream its work within the organisation.
President Zuma expressed his pleasure at the re-election of South Africa as a member of the AU Peace and Security Council for a two year term.
The Summit also discussed the security situation in countries such as Burundi, South Sudan, Libya and the Democratic Republic of Congo among others.
“We welcome the decision to revive the AU High Level Panel on Libya which had worked effectively a few years ago. We are also pleased with the appointment of former President of the United Republic of Tanzania, His Excellency Jakaya Kikwete as the AU Special Envoy to Libya. With such interventions the AU will be able to make an impact with regards to getting the parties in Libya to resolve matters and work towards normalcy in the country,’’ said President Zuma.
The President is also pleased with the AU decisions on Burundi.
“The decision to send a delegation to Burundi to assess the political and security situation and to discuss the proposed deployment of the AU peacekeeping force with the government of Burundi is a step in the right direction,” he said.
The AU Summit also discussed Africa’s growing concerns with the manner in which the International Criminal Court has conducted itself in relation to African countries. In a discussion on the ICC and the Rome Statute, President Zuma also expressed South Africa’s concerns and announced that “Our strongly held view is that it is now impossible, under the circumstances, for South Africa to continue its participation in the Rome Statute. South Africa is seriously reviewing its participation in the Rome Statute and will announce its decision in due course,” he told the Summit.
President Zuma welcomed the accolades received by South Africa at the Summit.
The country achieved an award for meeting the Millennium Development Goals targets for fighting malaria successfully, the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) Award. Malaria cases have decreased by 82% and the deaths have also decreased by 71%, since the year 2000, to date, in South Africa. The decrease in malaria cases is attributed to a sound malaria vector control programme, where South Africa has used dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane or DDT odourless insecticide for Indoor Residual Spraying, coupled with other World Health Organisation recommended interventions.
The President also reiterated his message of congratulations to Distinguished Professor Tebello Nyokong, who won the AU Kwame Nkrumah Scientific Award for science and technology.
Prof. Nyokong is Distinguished Professor at Rhodes University and director of the Nanotechnology and Innovation Centre (NIC), a national science facility established by the Department of Science and Technology in 2007. Amongst other things, the NIC's work includes research and development in various scientific fields, aimed at driving South Africa's transformation from a resource-based economy towards a knowledge-based economy using nanotechnology.
South Africa was also recognised among a number of countries for our contribution to the successful fight against the Ebola academic.
President Zuma has warmly welcomed the new AU chairperson President Idriss Deby of the Republic of Chad, who was elected at the Summit, and acknowledged the successful tenure of the 2015 chair, President Robert Mugabe of the Republic of Zimbabwe.
Statement issued by Bongani Majola, The Presidency, 31 January 2016
