President Cyril Ramaphosa has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he is attending the African Union summit.
The summit comes at the time the continent is facing a number of challenges, ranging from the insurgency in Mozambique to the M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and instability in the Sahel region.
There will also be elections in Nigeria in February and Zimbabwe later this year.
The AU summit is also expected to discuss the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) since it started operating two years ago.
The heads of state will look at progress that has been made since 2021.
“African heads of state and government are expected to reaffirm their commitment to the full implementation of the AfCFTA and the significance of accelerating the finalisation of outstanding issues, including the rules of origin and supporting protocols,” said the Presidency.
The Presidency said on Friday that Ramaphosa, as chairperson of the AU Peace and Security Council, would chair a meeting to look at the issue of the ongoing conflict in the DRC where the M23 rebels have been active for years.
The UN mission Monusco has been deployed in the region over the last few years.
Ramaphosa will table his report to the heads of state.
“In his capacity as the AU chairperson on Covid-19, the president will also present the report on the AU response to Covid-19 in Africa. The focus of the report will be on concrete actions undertaken to contain the spread of the pandemic on the continent.
“He is also expected to deliver the progress report on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad) infrastructure championing initiative,” said the Presidency.
Ramaphosa’s trip to Ethiopia for the summit of the AU comes after he spent a week in Parliament during the debate on the State of the Nation Address.
He delivered the Sona more than a week ago and on Thursday he replied to the debate.
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