Vice President Ms Samia Suluhu Hassan left the country today (July 16) for Kigali, Rwanda to attend the 27th African Union (AU) heads of states and governments summit.
Ms Hassan is to represent President John Magufuli in a two day meeting scheduled to commence on July 17 to 18 this year.
The VP will be accompanied by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Co-operation, Regional and International Ambassador Augustine Mahiga and the Minister of State, Zanzibar President’s Office Issa Haji Ussi.
Before the summit, several internal meetings will be conducted where the government leaders will discuss among other things connecting Africa commercially by having a free market by 2017 and changes in the AU Security Council.
The AU summit members is to elect the chairman for AU Commission and his deputy, eight commissioners for different sectors and four judges of the African Court of Human Rights and endorse the Union operation cost and its budget for 2017. Ms Samia and her delegation is expected to return to the country on July 19 this year.
The launch of the African Union Passport, considered a critical development to ease free movement of people, spur economic growth and development as well as promote Intra-African trade, is expected to take place on Sunday, the 17th of July at the AU Summit.
The African Heads of State present will officially launch the African Union passport during the Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU), paving the way for beginning the process to commence issuance of this travel document.
“Rwanda is ready for the AU Passport issuance. Other countries will also be working towards implementation of this decision. The free movement of people in Africa will spur our economic growth,” said Rwanda’s Foreign Affairs Minister Louise Mushikiwabo during a press conference Thursday on the sidelines of the African Union Summit at the Kigali Convention Center (KCC), in Rwanda.
