Staff Reporter
Windhoek-President Hage Geingob today travels to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to attend the 28th Ordinary Session of the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government that takes place from 28 to 31 January.
The Assembly is expected to elect a new chairperson and a deputy chairperson of the AU Commission (AUC). There would also be a vote on the election of members to the AU Advisory Board on Corruption, to which Namibia has presented Namibia’s Director General of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Paulus Noa, as a candidate.
Preceding the Assembly is also the meeting of ministers on gender where Namibia will be represented by Doreen Sioka, the Minister of Gender Equality and Child Welfare.
Albertus Aochamub, the State House press secretary, yesterday issued a statement saying that “the President’s trip is in part compliance with Namibia’s obligations to the African Union and also an opportunity to interact with fellow Heads of State and Government on matters of national and continental import”.
The summit is hosted under the theme: “Harnessing the Demographic Dividend through Investments in the Youth”. The 28th Assembly will be preceded by a summit on the security and developmental issues of the African Union.
“Owing to the relatively high regard many leaders on the continent hold Namibia in, President Geingob received several envoys lobbying our vote for their candidates such as from Uganda, Kenya, Senegal, Equatorial Guinea, and Chad,” said Aochamub.
The Assembly will also consider the request by Morocco to become a Member of the AU, while reports on the reform and the financing of the AU will be presented to the Heads of State and Government for consideration.
Accompanying President Geingob are the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Sioka, First Lady Monica Geingos and other senior government officials.