Media Advisory

17 March 2020

President postpones Meeting with AU Commissioners

President Cyril Ramaphosa has, in his capacity as Chair of the African Union, requested a postponement of a meeting – scheduled for Thursday 19 March – with Commissioners of the African Union Commission.

The President’s request arises from the priority he is giving to South Africa’s national response to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The President is leading the National Command Council which meets three times a week to coordinate the multisectoral response to COVID-19.

The AU meeting was scheduled to take place on 19 March 2020 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The AU Commissioners support the Chairperson in running the Commission and have the responsibility to implement all decisions, policies and programmes across eight portfolios that include Peace and Security, Political Affairs, Social Affairs, Trade and Industry, and Human Resources, Science and Technology.

The meeting was due to discuss the programme of work of the African Union for the current year and would have been the President’s first meeting with Commissioners since assuming the Chair in February 2020.

The meeting has been postponed to a date to be mutually agreed upon in April 2020.

Enquiries: Khusela Diko: Spokesperson to the President on 072 854 5707

ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION

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