Key issues expected to be on the agenda as the continent`s leaders
meet include the collective Covid-19 response, vaccine procurement, peace and
security as well as food security.
The two-day summit is being held under the theme “Arts,
Culture and Heritage: Levers for Building the Africa We Want”.
The annual AU Summit comes at a time when the continent,
just like the rest of the world, is battling the Covid-19 second wave.
In an interview, acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and
International Trade Professor Amon Murwira said President Mnangagwa will be
attending the continental indaba.
Ordinarily, presidents would have convened in Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia but Covid-19 protocols are discouraging large gatherings.
Minister Murwira said that the summit will focus on the
Africa Centre for Diseases Control (CDC) and Prevention.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention is a
public health agency of the African Union established to support public health
initiatives of member states and strengthen the capacity of their health
institutions to deal with disease threats.
Apart from that, Professor Murwira said Zimbabwe has two
senior civil servants who are vying for top posts at the upcoming summit.
Former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and
Infrastructure Development Engineer Amos Marawa is vying for the Infrastructure
and Energy portfolio while Professor Fanuel Tagwira, the Permanent Secretary in
the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, is eyeing the Education,
Innovation, Science and Technology Commission post.
Member states will vote this weekend to choose those to
lead a restructured AU executive body.
The results are expected to shape how the multi-national
alliance responds to the pandemic and a host of economic and security
challenges.
“We are also discussing issues regarding the elections of
the commissioners. We are expecting to have new commissioners. Zimbabwe has two
candidates there. We have people in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, who are canvassing
support for our candidates,” said Prof Murwira.
The Commission is composed of a chairperson, deputy
chairperson and eight commissioners, plus staff.
A number of Zimbabweans are hoping to be part of those
steering the continent`s direction. The agenda of the summit was already
prepared by the council of ministers meeting which was held on Wednesday and
Thursday.
Security issues in the region such as in Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC), Mozambique, among other countries will be deliberated
at the summit.
Outgoing AU chair, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa
will relinquish the role at the summit, paving way for the election of a new
leader.
As outgoing AU chairman, President Ramaphosa has spent the
past year overseeing efforts to scale up testing and delivery of vaccines.
The summit will present an opportunity for African leaders
to refocus their attention on a number of conflicts that have had attention
diverted away from them, due to the logical focus on Covid-19 last year.
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