SADC Backs Madagascar’s Candidate for AUC Chairmanship, Posing Challenge to Raila’s Bid
The Southern African Development Community (SADC), a regional bloc consisting of 16 member states, has officially called on its members to support Madagascar’s candidate in the upcoming African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship election.
In a letter dated February 12, SADC’s Executive Secretary, Elias Magosi, informed the member states about Madagascar’s formal request for regional backing.
He emphasized that Madagascar’s candidate, Richard J. Randriamandrato, is the only contender from the SADC region for the top AU position.
“I wish to inform you, Honourable Minister, that Honourable Richard J. Randriamandrato, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Madagascar, has been confirmed as the sole candidate from the SADC region for the position of Chairperson of the African Union Commission,” Magosi stated in the letter.
Due to time constraints ahead of the election, SADC leaders decided against holding an Extraordinary Council of Ministers meeting to discuss Madagascar’s request.
Instead, they opted to send an official letter urging all member states to rally behind Randriamandrato’s candidacy.
“After consulting with the Chairperson of the Council, it has been determined that given the limited time before the election, there is no need to convene an Extraordinary Council of Ministers.
A letter from the Secretariat requesting support for Madagascar’s candidate will be sufficient,” Magosi explained.
The letter further called upon all 16 SADC nations to endorse Randriamandrato as the regional candidate for the AUC chairmanship.
“This letter serves as an official request for all SADC Member States to support Mr. Richard J. Randriamandrato, who represents our region, in the upcoming elections for the Chairperson of the African Union Commission,” Magosi added.
SADC, a regional bloc aimed at fostering economic and political cooperation in Southern Africa, consists of the following member states: Angola, Botswana, Comoros, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
This development poses a significant challenge to Raila Odinga’s bid for the AUC chairmanship, as the support of SADC countries could greatly influence the election outcome.
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