STATEMENT ON IMPLEMENTING THE DECISION ON THE INSTITUTIONAL REFORM OF THE AFRICAN UNION

Gabiro, Rwanda, 26 February 2017

Today in Gabiro in Rwanda’s Eastern Province, President Kagame convened a meeting of the team of experts advising on African Union reform to discuss the implementation process.

This follows on the 2^nd Retreat of Heads of State and Government held in Addis Ababa in January 2017, where President Paul Kagame presented the report on the institutional reform of the African Union mandated by the 27^th Summit in July 2016.

The 28^th Summit of the African Union subsequently adopted the amended reform recommendations and mandated President Kagame to supervise the implementation process, in consultation with the incoming Chairperson, President Alpha Conde of Guinea, and the outgoing Chairperson, President Idriss Deby Itno of Chad, whom he intends to meet in the coming weeks.

Additional consultations will continue with other stakeholders, in particular the incoming Chairperson of the Commission, with a view to putting the reform mechanism into operation without delay.

President Kagame will make his first report on the progress made in implementing the decision of the Heads of State on institutional reform at the 29^thSummit in July 2017.

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