Kagame in Ethiopia for 28th AU Summit

President Paul Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for the ongoing 28th African Union Summit. Yesterday, President Kagame working alongside the members of the AU reform steering committee finalized his report on the recommendations of the institutional reform of the African Union to be presented and discussed at the Heads of State reform retreat today. During the previous summit held in Kigali, President Kagame was tasked to lead the reforms process to ensure the challenges and strengths of the African Union are adequately addressed, in an effort to further the continent’s development. The 28th ordinary session of the assembly of the African Union officially opens on Monday afternoon under the theme “Harnessing Demographic Dividend through Investments in Youth.” Among the main highlights of the ongoing meeting are the election of the chairperson, deputy chairperson and commissioners. The position of chairperson has attracted five candidates; Botswana’s foreign minister Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi, Chad’s foreign minister Moussa Faki Mahamat, Equatorial Guinea’s foreign minister Agapito Mba Mokuy, Kenya’s foreign minister Amina Mohamed and Senegal’s Bathily Abdoulaye, who is the special UN envoy for Central Africa. Rwanda and most of the East African community countries are expected to be backing Kenyan Foreign Affairs Minister Amina Mohamed in the elections due on Monday. During the summit, Morocco could return to the African Union after a 36-year absence from the body. The request to rejoin made by Morocco will be deliberated by member states. Kagame, alongside Nigerian businessman, Aliko Dangote, yesterday also co-chaired a Sustainable Development Goals board meeting that explored resource mobilization and partnership on upcoming projects and activities. The meeting took place in Addis Ababa following the launch of the SDG Center for Africa held in Kigali three days ago. On Tuesday, Kagame is scheduled to chair the Smart Africa board meeting, meeting which will also be attended by multinationals in the ICT sector including Ericsson, Liquid Telecom, Inmarsat, Huawei and International Telecommunication Union Secretary General, Houlin Zhao. First Lady Jeanette Kagame will be taking part in the Organisation of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS (OAFLA) General Assembly. This year’s assembly will focus on “Celebrating 15 years of Strengthened and Continued Collaboration in Supporting End AIDS and Improving Maternal and Child Health for All Africa’s Women and Children” editorial@newtimes.co.rw

News

Kagame in Ethiopia for 28th AU Summit