Algeria latest country to back Amina’s bid for AU top post

Dennis Tarus

November 10, 2016 5:33 PM

Algeria has joined the growing list of African countries that have backed Kenya’s Foreign Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed for the chairperson of the African Union Commission.

The endorsement came after the visit of Deputy President William Ruto to the North African country.

Algeria, through its Senate President Ben Saleh Abdalkader, said it will support Mohamed’s candidature unconditionally.

“We know Amb. Aminas’s potential based on her experience and we assure you that we will give her full support for the position of AU Commission chairperson,” said Mr Saleh when he met DP Ruto in Algiers.

The Deputy President is on a whirlwind tour of West and North Africa that has seen him visit Sierra Leone, Chad, Ghana, Liberia and Ivory Coast.

His next stops are Nigeria and Egypt as he continues his shuttle diplomacy aimed at wooing African countries to back Kenya’s bid for the AU chairmanship.

Last week, President Uhuru Kenyatta formally launched CS Mohamed’s candidature to become the next African Union chairperson at a gathering of African diplomats at a colourful ceremony in State House, Nairobi.

CS Mohammed’s candidacy received a major boost last month as the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) members endorsed her bid.

Dennis Tarus