AU hails Selassie with statue at HQ

President Cyril Ramaphosa attended the unveiling of the statue of former Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie at the new African Union (AU) complex in Addis Ababa yesterday.

He was there for the 32nd ordinary session of the assembly of heads of state and government

“The commemorative statue of Emperor Haile Selassie is an important recognition of his contribution to Africa’s liberation and unity leading up to the founding of the Organisation of African Unity in 1963,” the international relations and cooperation department said.

Ramaphosa, who arrived in Addis Ababa on Saturday to lead a high-level South African delegation at the AU session, was announced as the new chairperson for 2020, the Presidency said yesterday. He takes over from Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

The AU session was scheduled to take place yesterday and today. The theme was The Year of Refugees, Returnees and International Displaced Persons: Towards durable solutions to forced displacement in Africa, the Presidency said.

The summit was expected to discuss a number of other issues, including the institutional reform and financing of the AU; peace and security on the continent, developments related to the African continental free trade area, and negotiations for a new cooperation agreement between the African, Caribbean and Pacific developing countries and the European Union post 2020.

South Africa would submit its instrument of ratification of the agreement on the African continental free trade area during the summit.

On Saturday, Ramaphosa attended a meeting of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) heads of state and government on the margins of the AU summit.

The meeting received reports on the consolidation of SADC political efforts to support SADC member states and progress made in implementing the institutional reform of the AU and in partnership negotiations.

Ramaphosa was accompanied by, among others, the International Relations and Cooperation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu and Finance Minister Tito Mboweni. – ANA

‘The commemorative statue of Emperor Haile Selassie is an important recognition of his contribution to Africa’s liberation’ The Department of International Relations and Cooperation