Jean Ping Outlines Reforms for AU Commission

(PANA)--The chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, Jean Ping, has outlined the guidelines for the reforms he intends to under take to improve the efficiency of his institution.

In a speech he delivered at the opening of the 11th conference of AU heads of state and government, Monday in Sharm el-Sheikh, Ping said his intention was to translate into deeds the AU vision goals such as defined by its leading bodies over the past few years.

He said: "This is why I have decided to put my term at the head of the commissi on under the keynote of action and efficiency, by building on what the previous team has been able to achieve in conditions which have not always been easy".

Taking into account the audit of the Union’s bodies, which revealed remarkable weaknesses related to the operation and structure of the Commission, Ping pointed out that it "is imperative that we found remedies to this situation, namely by working towards the scrupulous implementation of the recommendations made by the audit".

He revealed that he had started a certain number of reforms to improve AU perfor mance and strengthen initiative and execution capacity.

"To that end, competence, experience, efficiency and justice, as well as devotion to the AU and to its ideals should be given a pride of place," he maintained.

The Chairperson of the AU Commission also wants to promote team spirit, corporate governance and smooth information flow. "It will be a question of optimising the operation of the different structures of the commission and strengthen the measures aimed at making more credible and transparent the management of the precious financial and material resources put at our disposal," Ping added.

The improvement of the working conditions and welfare of the staff are also part and parcel of his reform plan. "All these reforms are aimed at turning the Commission into an efficient structure that lives up to the enhanced credibility and visibility of the African Union in so short a period of time," Ping said.

He says he has resolved to carry through with these reforms which are capable of translating into deeds the vision of the leading bodies. He said "the risk is high to see the credibility of the AU irremediably called into question and the hope for an Africa attuned to the present-day realities worldwide give way to a serious disillusion".

These reforms, he concluded, "will be carried out by listening to actors and partners and in compliance with the rules and principles governing our organisation " .

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