TheCable

President Barack Obama of the United States will visit the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia on Tuesday.

Upon arriving the AU headquarters, Obama, who will be the first US president to visit the AU, will hold a bilateral meeting with Nkosazana Zuma, chairman of AU, and some commissioners of the union.

Obama is also due to deliver a speech to the continent from the Nelson Mandela Hall at the AU conference centre in Addis Ababa.

“This is an historic visit to the African Union. And it will be my great pleasure to welcome President Barack Obama to the AU,” Zuma said.

“It is also another concrete step to broaden and deepen the relationship between the AU and the US.”

During the visit, the AU chairperson will take the opportunity to present Africa’s priority areas as articulated in the agenda 2063 framework document and the 10-year implementation plan aimed at achieving Africa’s vision for prosperity, integration and peace.

In June 2013 when Obama met with some AU commissioners, he pledged to strengthen Africa-US relations.

“We stand ready and eager to work with the African Union for the best engagement of the United States with Africa,” he had said.

“If there is a strong African Union, any help that is provided by the US becomes more effective than us doing things on our own.”

The visit will offer the opportunity for Zuma and Obama to further the discussions held two years ago.

Among the important issues will be skills revolution to provide the youth with employment opportunities; industrialisation and infrastructiural development and agro-processing.

In addition, expected to feature in both the bilateral and the speeches are issues around, but not limited to, education, youth and women’s empowerment, trade, investment, and peace and security, particularly the fight against terrorism and extremism.

The AU commission will also be engaging and discussing with a delegation of senators and congressmen travelling with the US president.

Obama will arrive Ethiopia after participating at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Nairobi, Kenya.

Previous visits of Obama to Africa are: Egypt in June 2009, Ghana in July 2009, South Africa, Senegal and Tanzania in 2013.