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Mali intervention to dominate African Union summit
“In Mali and the Sahel we are now facing new, multi-faceted challenges with broader regional and continental implications,” Ms Dlamini-Zuma told reporters this week.
Another topic would be the slow progress between the rival leaders of Sudan and South Sudan, who are due to meet Friday for the latest attempt to push forward a raft of stalled oil and border deals.
Ms Dlamini-Zuma has urged member states and the international community to work together to address conflict, and insisted that peace is crucial for development on the continent.
“It is my fervent hope that we maintain a proper and healthy balance between achieving peace and advancing development…. The continent cannot advance without succeeding on both fronts simultaneously,” Ms Dlamini-Zuma added.
The conference, which is officially themed “Pan Africanism and African Renaissance”, will also kick off the 50th anniversary celebrations of the founding of the Organization of African Unity, the predecessor to the AU.
Ms Dlamini-Zuma has said the anniversary was time to ensure the “social and economic liberation of our continent”.
African leaders are also set to vote in a new chair of the AU to replace the current head, Benin’s President Yayi Boni.
