Addis Ababa: The Angolan Foreign minister, Georges Chicoti, Friday in Addis Ababa expressed optimism about a victory of South African Kkozasana Dlamini Zuma in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC)’s bid for the chair of the African Union Commission (AUC). Geoges Chicoti was speaking to Angolan journalists at the end of a meeting with his SADC colleagues chaired by him. According to him, SADC has the best vision and will win.
Should the SADC candidate lose, he added, the heads of State will seek another solution, stressing that he doubts Jean Ping could remain at the head of the AUC. To him, SADC has enough weight for no party to gain a two third support.
Georges Chicoti, who chaired the meeting in Angola’s capacity as the SADC chair, said other concert meetings would take place to further analyse the regional organisation’s AUC bid.
To the Angolan minister, partners are important, but must respect what Africans want as this is the sentiment many countries are expressing.
"First we have to gather and afterwards define a route, which partner to work with,” he stated, citing the example of China that sponsored the construction of the African Union headquarters which, however, he added, has no right to impose whatsoever candidate.
The minister who denied accusing or criticising whomsoever, stressed that Africans do not want imposition, they want to decide their destination for themselves.
He said as well that a support for the continuity, that is for Jean Ping, would be the worst option that Africa should avoid.
