Politics
African Union elections: Nigeria and South Africa vie for influence
South Africa’s Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma (l) and Incumbent African Union Commission Chairperson Jean Ping (r). PHOTO/File
The battle for greater influence in Africa between Nigeria and South Africa and an attempt by France to play a bigger role in issues in Africa, are likely to influence who becomes the next head of the African Union (AU) Commission in the coming week’s election.
There is a growing competition between Nigeria and South Africa for the control of the continent’s economic and political scene after South Africa offered the candidature of Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, contrary to the unwritten rule that larger economies should stay away from the leadership.
The current chairperson of the African Union Commission, Jean Ping, is said to enjoy the support of France, which has been quietly rallying Francophone countries to support the incumbent from Gabon.
The election will be repeated during the heads of state summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from July 9-15, after the one held in January ended in deadlock when both Mr Ping and Ms Dlamini-Zuma failed to get a two-thirds majority.
Sources in Addis Ababa revealed that Nigeria diplomats all over Africa have been campaigning against Ms Dlamini-Zuma due to the fact that South Africa is breaking the unwritten rule that the “big five” who finance 75 percent of African Union operations should not vie for the leadership of the commission. These countries are South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, Algeria and Libya.
But South Africa is arguing that Ms Dlamini-Zuma represents gender balance and that since the formation of the Organization of African Unity 49 years ago, the southern and northern regions of the continent are the only ones that have not had the privilege of leading the commission.
The position has been occupied by West Africa seven times, Central Africa three times, and East Africa two times.
A diplomatic source in Addis Ababa dismissed the arguement peddled by South Africa that the southern region has never led the continental body since it was started 49 year ago.
“Tanzania is a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and its national, Salim Ahmed Salim, was the secretary general of the Organization of African Unity for an unprecedented three terms covering a period of 12 years.
In the East African region, Kenya is endorsing Mr Ping on the basis that his candidature is a package that also involves Kenya’s Erastus Mwencha.
In the January elections, Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Djibouti voted for Mr Ping, while Uganda, Burundi, Tanzania and South Sudan voted for Ms Zuma.
South Africa is using its economic muscle and military might to provide technical support, military material and financing to South Sudan, Uganda and Burundi. This time around, Burundi has expressed an interest in the post of the African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs.
Sources say that the stalemate that was experienced in January could be repeated, because the standoff between Gabon and South Africa is yet to be resolved. This would give the current deputy chair, Mr Mwencha, a chance to act in the interim before a substantive chairperson is elected.
South Africa has been making a last-ditch effort for its candidate to head the African Union Commission and claims to have secured the support of 24 countries, 14 from SADC and 10 from sway states, mainly from Central Africa, whose debts the continent’s economic giant has promised to inherit as well as clearing some of their arrears with the African Union.
A South African national already in Addis Ababa who spoke on condition of anonymity, noted that he could not rule out the possibility of South Africa offering to inherit some of the debts of certain sway states to secure their vote. But it could also be said of some of these states that they are being held hostage by France’s money and influence.
South Africa is said to be targeting swing states like Chad, Burundi, Uganda, Guinea, Central African Republic and Comoros. But sources say that Jean Ping’s private business dealings with some states could see them vote in his favor.
Differences between Nigeria and South Africa have been exacerbated by the recent diplomatic row in March, when South Africa deported 125 Nigerians, among them a senator, who arrived at Johannesburg’s Oliver Tambo International Airport, claiming they had fake yellow fever vaccination cards.