Addis Ababa, Jan 30, 2012 (SPS) - Heads of State and Government of the African Union have elected Mr. Thomas Yayi Boni, President of the Republic of Benin, as chairperson of the Au for 2012 during a closed session of the 18th Ordinary Summit at the Union’s new headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The newly elected Chairperson of the continental organization will manage the affairs of the Union and represent the AU for a one year mandate. According to the rotation principle, the Chairmanship of the Union for the year 2012 was to be given to a West African country. Therefore the Heads of State and Government of the AU endorsed the ECOWAS decision for Benin to take the turn at the helm of the Union.
The newly elected Bureau of the Assembly is as follows: Uganda, 1st Vice-president (Eastern Region), Tunisia 2nd Vice-president (Northern Region), South Africa 3rd Vice-president (Southern Region) and Equatorial Guinea, Rapporteur (Central Region)
Benin is taking over the presidency from President Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea whose mandate for the year 2011 has come to an end.
The President of the Republic and Secretary-General of the Polisario Front, Mr. Mohamed Abdelaziz, is taking part at the 18th Ordinary Summit of the African Union held in Ethiopia.
He is accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Mohamed Salem Ould Salek, Minister Delegate in charge of Africa, Brahim Boumakhrouta, Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the AU, Dr. Sidi Mohamed Omar, Secretary General of the Saharawi Woman’s Union, Ms. Fatma Al-Mahdi, Counselor to the Presidency, Mr. Abdati Breika.
He attended along with heads of state and government of the African Union and visited guests the official inauguration of AU’s new headquarters in Addis Ababa, (SPS)
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