Konare elected AU secretary
11 July 2003
Former Malian president Alpha Konare was on Thursday elected chairman of the African Union commission by the heads of state gathered in Maputo for the second annual summit of the continental body.
Konare was elected after the interim AU head Amara Essy pulled out of the race on Wednesday, leaving Konare as the only candidate.
Essy, a former diplomat, held the position on an interim basis at the organisation's headquarters in Addis Ababa following the AU's launch in Durban last July.
Konare will run the day-to-day affairs of the 53-nation continental body and will be assisted by Rwandan Patrick Kayumba Mazimhaka, who was elected deputy commission chairman.
The AU commission will be responsible for working closely with all AU structures, and to coordinate and integrate the work of the organisation.
Meanwhile, the summit entered its second day on Friday, and the heads of state are expected to make decisions relating to the
establishment of key institutions of the organisation, including the Peace and Security Commission.
The summit ends tomorrow.
Source: BuaNews
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