Johannesburg – Outgoing AU chairwoman Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma will on Tuesday officially hand over the torch to her successor, former Chadian prime minister Moussa Faki Mahamat.
Dlamini-Zuma will close the chapter on her role at the continental organisation where she has been busy for the past five years after making history when she became the first woman to lead it.
While there have been mixed reactions about her work at the AU, with some saying she failed to deliver in transforming the African continent, those who have lauded her achievements and continue to do so include Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama.
Speaking at the conclusion of a bilateral meeting with Minister of International Relations and Co-operation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane in Pretoria on Monday, Onyeama spoke highly of Dlamini-Zuma, saying she had shown immense dedication to the enrichment of the continent.
Mahamat said: “I’ve met very few people who are as passionate about Africa as she is, and who are committed to the pan-Africanist vision.
“I am extremely proud of her.”
He also commended Dlamini-Zuma for her efforts in the adoption and attainment of the AU Commission’s 2063 agenda, alongside its Sustainable Development Goals.
Dlamini-Zuma was expected to witness Mahamat's swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday, which was set to take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.