Venson-Moitoi to debate with AU contenders in Addis

BBC.COM | Tuesday November 22, 2016 16:47

 

Elections are due in January 2017 to pick a successor to South Africa's Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who is not seeking a second term in office.

An invitation from the commission says all the candidates who have expressed interest in contesting will take part in the 'town hall-style' debate on 9 December at the AU's headquarters in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa:

It is our sincere belief that this debate will help in the transformation of our union and Africa, as often elections of the union leadership occur behind closed doors thus denying the broad African public an opportunity to be informed and participate in the work of the commission.'

The five contenders are: 

1. Botswana's Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi - currently foreign minister
2. Chad's Moussa Faki Mahamat - currently foreign minister
3. Equatorial Guinea's Agapito Mba Mokuy -  currently foreign minister 
4. Kenya's Amina Mohamed - currently foreign minister
5. Senegal's Bathily Abdoulaye - currently special UN envoy for Central Africa.