EAF recommended for deployment in DRC

EAF recommended for deployment in DRC

 

Nevanji Munyaradzi Chiondegwa

 

The recently ended 36th Summit of the African Union Assembly held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, has recommended the deployment of the East Africa Force into the troubled region.

 

This decision came after the Peace and Security Council of the African Union which President Mnangagwa is a member, met at the sidelines of the African Union Summit and discussed the situation in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and recommended the deployment.

 

The Assembly adopted the recommendation and the funding of the Force’s operations from the AU Peace Fund.

 

This year’s Summit was held under the theme “Acceleration of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) Implementation” and saw the President of the Union of the Comoros, Azali Assoumani take over the Chairmanship of the Union from Macky Sall of Senegal.

 

His Bureau will consist of the First Vice Chair to be nominated by the Northern Region; Second Vice Chair, Burundi (Central Region); Third Vice Chair, Botswana (Southern Region); and a Rapporteur, Senegal (Western Region).

 

The Summit approved the 2023 AU budget amounting to US$655 million. Zimbabwe is a fully paid-up member.

 

Under the 2022 theme on Nutrition, which was extended to 2025, Zimbabwe will lobby for the resuscitation of funding for the African Centre for Fertiliser Development (ACFD) based in Harare.

 

The Assembly also adopted a resolution condemning the unilateral coercive measures imposed on AU Member States including Zimbabwe, Eritrea and South Sudan.

 

During the Summit, President Mnangagwa also met with the Director-General of the International Organisation for Migration, Mr. Antonio Vitorino. He welcomed the IOM’s pledged support for the impending return of Zimbabweans living in South Africa whose permits will expire in June this year. Further, he stressed the need for the IOM to assist Zimbabwe with Skills Mapping and Profiling of Zimbabweans living in the Diaspora for identification of sectors they can ably contribute to under the mantra “Nyika Inovakwa Nevene Vayo”.

President Mnangagwa was accompanied by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and International Trade; Industry and Commerce; and Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry to the Summit.

On his part, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ambassador Frederick Shava met with the Representative of the Chinese Government on African Affairs, Mr. Liu Yuxi, further cementing the excellent relations between Zimbabwe and China.

China committed to continue supporting Zimbabwe’s developmental path. Mr Yuxi undertook to convey Zimbabwe’s request for consideration of new projects under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Dakar Action Plan to the Chinese Authorities.