Your Excellency, Chairperson of the African Union, President Robert Mugabe;
Your Excellency, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma;
Your Excellencies, Heads of Delegation;
Your Excellencies, Members of the Diplomatic Corps;
Distinguished Guests

It is my honour and privilege to welcome you all to South Africa.

Excellencies

This year marks fifteen years since the adoption of perhaps one of the most important instruments for not only our Organisation but also our peoples, the Constitutive Act of the African Union.

The Act, amongst others, also acknowledges our impediments to the continent’s socio-economic development.

Since the adoption of the Constitutive Act, Africa has taken its destiny, specifically its socio-economic development and integration, in its own hands.

Africa is thus on a new path of development and growth that will enable it to take its rightful place in global affairs. In this regard, we wish to congratulate the Commission and the Member States of the Union on the excellent work done since 2013, to develop and finalise Agenda 2063.

However, the expectations from our people are high and we cannot fail in the implementation of Agenda 2063 to redefine, lead and fund our own development and future.

To realise our vision, we continue to support attempts to establish sustainable and predictable sources of funding for the African Union that will ensure less reliance on development partners for the implementation of our African projects and programmes.

As the AU we also need to create the necessary enabling environment for our socio-economic development and integration.

In particular, we need to continue to address the conflicts on the continent and come up with a decisive plan of action to address the current scourge of terrorism.

Therefore, we further believe it remains important to ensure that the necessary preventative measures are established. We also need new ways in which we, as Africa and not our partners, manage our conflict situations.

Excellencies

The twenty fifth Ordinary Summit of the African Union provides us the specific opportunity to express our resolve on the challenges and opportunities Africa is experiencing; and to affirm our strong political will to rid ourselves of these challenges.

Welcome to South Africa your Excellencies, and your esteemed delegations.

We wish you successful deliberations and a successful Summit.

I Thank You.