Sudan backs CS Amina for top AU post

Irari Ngugi

October 30, 2016 5:18 PM

Sudan becomes the latest country to back Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary, Amina Mohamed’s bid as Chairperson of the AU Commission.

The backing comes after President Uhuru Kenyatta’s visit to Khartoum as he continues to lobby other African countries and support Kenya’s choice for the commission’s top job.

Last week, CS Mohamed’s candidacy receieved a major boost after the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) members endorsed her bid.

The endorsement came after Deputy President William Ruto attended the 19th Comesa Heads of State and Government Summit in Antananarivo, Madagascar.

Ruto used the summit to lobby the other Comesa countries to support the candidature of CS Amina.

Amina's credentials

During the summit, the member countries made it clear that they believed that her long experience of diplomacy, her proven experience working with multilateral organisations, and her successful stint as Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs all made her the best candidate to advance Africa's Agenda.

The aim for Kenya is to get at least two-thirds majority in the first round.

CS Mohamed will square it off with Agapito Mba Mokuy of Equatorial Guinea, Abdoulaye Bathily of Senegal and Botswana’s Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi for the powerful continental position.

Born in 1961, Ms Amina has had an illustrious career, having worked as a Deputy Executive Director at the United Nations before joining the Kenyan cabinet in 2013.

She has also previously served as Chairwoman of the International Organization for Migration and the World Trade Organisation's General Council.

Irari Ngugi