Saturday, November 17, 2018
President Cyril Ramaphosa has today, Saturday 17 November 2018, concluded his working visit to Addis Ababa in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia where he attended the 11th Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU).
This session of the Assembly was chaired by President Paul Kagame as Chairperson of the African Union Assembly and was attended by more than 20 Heads of State and Government.
The Assembly focused on the AU Institutional Reform process, took stock of progress made thus far, deliberated on outstanding issues and challenges, and considered a variety of proposals and recommendations.
President Ramaphosa reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to the reform process which has already started and acknowledged the work done by the African Union Commission and the Reform Implementation Union in consultation with the Permanent Representatives Committee for developing the AU Reform Roadmap for the period 2018 to 2021.
The AU institutional reforms seek to create a self-sufficient, independent and effective African Union that will ensure the realisation of the “Africa We Want”, Agenda 2063. This includes universal health care, infrastructure development, agriculture and agribusiness as well as mineral beneficiation.
ISSUED BY THE PRESIDENCY OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA