AU Commission Election Results

(Press Release) - Seven (07) Commissioners out of the eight portfolios of the African Union Commission were elected Friday 2^nd February 2008, within the framework of the 10^th Ordinary Session of the African Union Summit of Heads of State and Government currently holding in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The elections took place under the chairmanship of the new Chair of the Executive Council who is also the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Republic of Tanzania, Honourable Bernard Membe.

The new Commissioners of the African Union are:

•· Peace and Security

•o Mr. Ramtane Lamamra (Algeria)

•· Political Affairs

• • Mrs. Julia Dolly Joiner (Gambia)

• Infrastructure and Energy

• • Mrs. Elham Mahmood Ahmed Ibrahim (Egypt)

• Social Affairs

• • Advocate. Bience Philomina Gawanas (Namibia)

• Human Resources, Science and Technology

• • Mr. Jean Pierre Onvehoun Ezin (Benin)

• Trade and Industry

• • Mrs. Elizabeth Tankeu (Cameroon)

• Economic Affairs

• • Dr. Maxwell Mkwezalamba (Malawi)

Regarding the post for the Commissioner of Rural Economy and Agriculture, the new Commissioner will be elected at an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers billed for Arusha, Tanzania, in the first week of April 2008.

The election was postponed to conform to the African Union rules in respect to regional and Gender balance. Of Africa’s five regions, the eastern region did not have a female commissioner during the election. The post of Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture has therefore been reserved for a female candidate from the eastern region.

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