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.
