JOHANNESBURG, November 8 (ANA) – President Jacob Zuma has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ehtiopia, where he will attend the African Union (AU) High Level Committee on Libya.
The Presidency said Zuma arrived Tuesday morning for to attend meeting at “the Level of Heads of States and Government scheduled to take today”.
The meeting has been convened by the Chairperson of the AU, President Idriss Déby Itno of the Republic of Chad, to review the evolution of the situation in Libya. The meeting will also look at regional and international efforts aimed at addressing the turmoil in that country and to agree on a way forward.
Five years after an armed insurrection resulted in the overthrow and death of long-time leader and strongman Muammar Gaddafi, Libya continues to find itself in turmoil.
Members of the AU High Level Committee of Heads of States and Government on the Situation in Libya include Algeria, the Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Mauritania (Chair), Niger, South Africa and Uganda.
The AU Representative for Libya is the former President of Tanzania Jakaya Kikwete.
“President Zuma will also participate in the Second Extraordinary Summit of the Volunteering Nations of the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises (ACIRC),” said the Presidency in a statement on Tuesday morning.
“The aim of this Summit is to discuss the status of the ACIRC Force following the conduct of the Utulivu Africa I and II Command Post Exercises and the verification of the pledged capabilities from May 2014 to April 2015.”
The ACIRC, which was established in 2013, consists of “Volunteering Nations” – Algeria, Angola, Benin, Chad, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
ACIRC was introduced as an interim measure, pending the full operational capability of the African Standby Force, to provide the AU with a rapid military response capability with the specific objective of preventing emerging genocides, crimes against humanity and war crimes
Zuma is accompanied by Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and Minister of State Security David Mahlobo.
– African News Agency (ANA)
