Africa-Press – Angola. Angolan Head of State, João Lourenço, on Saturday ended the one-year term in at the helm of the African Union (AU), during the 39th Summit of Heads of State and Government, handing over the continental organization’s portfolio to his Burundi’s counterpart, Évariste Ndayshimiye.
The African Union Presidency system is based on an annual rotating model, provided by the Heads of State and Government of the 55 Member States, according to a regional balance criterion covering the five regions of the continent namely North, West, Central, Eastern and Southern.
Its rotating presidency has the task of politically representing the organization on major African and intercontinental issues, as well as coordinating the established for the respective year, with a focus on the areas of peace, security and development.
The Summit of Heads of State and Government is the supreme body of the organization responsible for defining political guidelines and electing the rotating president.
Burundi now takes over the political leadership of the continental organization in a framework aimed at strengthening equitable representation and shared leadership among the Member States.
