The election of Dr. Dlamini-Zuma as AU Commission chairperson

This brief highlights three main challenges confronting the new leadership of the AU Commission.

The election of Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as the Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission was a surprise. Importantly, it brought to an end the electoral deadlock experienced during the January 2012 AU Summit between Dr Dlamini-Zuma and the incumbent, Mr Jean Ping. This brief considers the hard-won victory of Dr Dlamini-Zuma, its implication for the global image of African states and the prospect of the new AU Commission leadership being able to promote a more effective AU.

The jury will continue to debate the reasons why Dr Dlamini-Zuma gained more than 60 per cent of confidence votes from AU member states after the initial electoral deadlock six months earlier. Yet her election suggests that AU member states can transcend some of the continent’s colonially inherited divisions, especially those along linguistic lines. Dr Dlamini-Zuma’s triumph also represents the ostensible commitment of African states to gender equality. Her election should be perceived as the well- deserved recognition of a capable, highly-respected and hard-working woman following her previous and current roles as South Africa’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and of Home Affairs respectively. There are, however, huge challenges confronting the new leadership of the AU Commission.

This brief highlights three main challenges: first, the priority of promoting the implementation of, and adherence to, the numerous policies formulated by the AU and its predecessor, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) during the last half-century. Second, there is a need to address the difficulty of increasing the number and quality of the AU Commission staff. Third, the AU must revisit its reliance on external funding and the location of power among the ‘Friends of the AU’ instead of with the Commission itself. In summary, the election of Dr Dlamini-Zuma provides an additional opportunity to promote cooperation between African states, move towards the greater relevance of the AU globally, and improve stability and economic development in Africa through an invigorated top management at the helm of the AU Commission.

Authors Jakkie Cilliers, Executive Director, ISS and Jide Martyns Okeke, Senior Researcher, ISS Addis Ababa