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Burundi: Burundian Minister On to Replace AU Chief
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Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d'Information (Kigali)
5 November 2007
Posted to the web 5 November 2007
Kigali
Six candidates have submitted their candidature to succeed African Union Commission President Mr. Alpha Oumar Konaré including Burundian Foreign Affairs Minister Ms. Antoinette Batumubwira, RNA has established.
Reports from Ethiopia - seat of the AU indicate that other candidates are: Mr. Jean Ping - Foreign Affairs Minister of Gabon, Mr. Inonge Mbikusita Lewanika - Zambian envoy to the U.S., Swaziland former Prime Minister - Mr. Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini and Sierra Leonean Abdulai Osman Conteh - a top international jurist.
The elections are scheduled during the African union heads of state summit on January 31- 02 February 2008 Addis Ababa. Countries had until October 30 to nominate names.
The Burundian top diplomat Ms. Batumubwira has been the External Relations and Cooperation Minister in President Pierre Nkurunziza's government swept to power in the 2005 elections.
The 51-year old is also a member of the ruling CNDD-FDD party but has largely been out of the power struggle and controversy that has rocked the party.
She is IT educated with years of journalism experience and an array of international postings including the UN and the NGO world. During the days of apartheid in South Africa, she was behind an anti- apartheid association coupled with several campaign groups in Burundi.
Meanwhile, Rwandan AU Commission vice president Patrick Mazimhaka has not got anybody vying for his post. But has also been reported by the AU summit could choose between Egyptian Khair Eldin Abdel Latif and Kenyan Erastus Mwencha - of the COMESA Secretariat.
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Ten candidates have also put in their names to axe the 8 commissioners but 6 of the serving individuals want another term.
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