UN Chief to participate in 28th AU Summit in Ethiopia

The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres will be part of the 28th African Union (AU) summit currently ongoing in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. He is expected in the country by Saturday.

Guterres who took over from Ban Ki-moon is expected to address the AU on ways of building partnerships between the AU and UN, partnerships with mutual benefits, based on respect and solidarity. The address is scheduled for Monday January 30, 2017.

‘‘In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the Secretary-General will address the opening session of the Assembly of the African Union at 2:30 p.m. (Addis time; +8 hours New York time). At 6:00 p.m. (Addis time) the Secretary-General will hold a press conference,’‘ a statement on the UN website stated.

Both sides with deliberate on issues bordering on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and the AU’s Agenda 2063 for the continent. Guterres will also meet a number of Heads of State and Governments on the sidelines of the summit.

The former UN refugees chief will also hold a town hall meeting with UN staff working in the Ethiopia. He is scheduled to return to New York on the day that the summit ends, January 31, 2017.

Pre-Summit meetings have been going on since early this week but the meeting of Heads of State and government will take place between January 30 – 31, 2017 under the theme, ‘Harnessing the Demographic Dividend through Investment in the Youth.’

The AU is expected to elect a new Chairperson for its Commission with five candidates in the race to succeed South Africa’s Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma. Heads of State will also vote on the readmission of Morocco into the AU after years out.