Ethiopia: 28th AU summit kicks off - Morocco's return, vote for new Chair tops agenda

The 28th ordinary summit of the African Union opens on Monday in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa.

The summit is expected to lead to the election of a new commission chairperson to replace outgoing leader Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

Five candidates are in the running to replace Dlamini-Zuma, a former South African minister and first female AU leader.

The candidates in the race are:

• Senegal’s Bathily Abdoulaye, special UN envoy for Central Africa
• 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.

During the summit, Morocco could return to the African Union after more than three decade absence from the body. The request to rejoin made by the North African country is expected to be deliberated by member states.

This year’s summit is under the theme “Harnessing Demographic Dividend through Investments in Youth.”

The draft schedule for the #28thAUSummit in #Ethiopia. Election of new chair, #Morocco on agenda today pic.twitter.com/sDhGZFl6Yt

— emmanuel Igunza (@EmmanuelIgunza) January 30, 2017