Robert Mugabe new president of the African Union

Addis Ababa-MDN- Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe was elected on Friday in Addis Ababa, the new President of the African Union (AU) for a term of one year.

The head of the Zimbabwean government, in power since Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980, succeeds Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz following the vote whose results were announced at the opening of the 24th Ordinary Session of the ceremony Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the AU (30-31 January).

“I humbly accept your collective decision, fully aware of the heavy responsibility it entails,” said the new president of the AU, stressing that its mandate will be placed under the sign of the development of the continent.

In addition, three other countries have been elected to the AU office for a one-year term. This is the DRC (Central Africa) elected first vice-president, the Niger as Second Vice President (West Africa) and Kenya as the third Vice President (East Africa), while Mauritania will be the rapporteur.