Zuma to attend AU summit

2009-06-27 13:03

Johannesburg - President Jacob Zuma was expected to attend the African Union (AU) summit in Sirte, Libya, the Department of International Relations and Co-operation said on Saturday.

Zuma, who leaves for Libya on Sunday, will brief the summit on the outcomes of last week's Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit on Madagascar, spokesperson Nomfanelo Kota said.

Termed the Extra-Ordinary summit, the meeting of SADC heads of state was held in Johannesburg discuss the crisis in Madagascar.

Apart from the Madagascar issue, the summit in Libya will focus on the implementation of the decision assembly to transform the AU Commission into the African Union Authority.

The decision was taken in Ethiopia in February as a means of forming an inclusive African government.

Also to be discussed during the AU summit was the progress report of the AU Commission on the implementation of the decision of the assembly on the abuse of the principle of universal jurisdiction as adopted by the twelfth ordinary session of the assembly, Kota said.

"Other issues for discussion during the summit include the Progress Report of the AU Commission on the Implementation of Assembly Decision on the Hissene Habre Case as adopted by the Twelfth Ordinary Session of the Assembly, report of the AU Commission on the Meeting of African States Parties to the Rome Statute on the International Criminal Court (ICC), and a report of the African Union Peace and Security Council, which will cover extensively progress to date on continental issues relating to peace and security," she said.

Zuma will be accompanied by International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry, Tina Joemat-Pettersson and other senior government officials.

He is expected back in the country on Friday.

- SAPA