The Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU), Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, has appointed Dr Donald Kaberuka as the AU High Representative for the Peace Fund, according to a statement.

The Peace Fund was first mooted in September last year under the auspices of the UN Peace and Security meeting that was held in New York, an initiative that received the backing of heads of state, who later directed the AU Chairperson to expedite the appointment.

"The Chairperson of the Commission, through the appointment of Dr Kaberuka, is sending a strong signal to the international community on the AU’s commitment to work towards finding sustained, predictable and flexible funding mechanisms to support AU-led peace operations,” reads the statement in part.

Kaberuka, a Rwandan economist, is the outgoing President of the African Development Bank Group and he is currently serving on the Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum, the Mandela Institute (Minds) and the Mo Ibrahim Foundation.

"Dr Kaberuka will bring to the AU his globally appreciated knowledge on Development financing, as well as his well-known dedication to Africa,” reads the statement.

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