Mugabe appointed African Union Chairman
Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe has been appointed as Chairman of African Union (AU).
He will be 13th Chairman of African Union (AU) and succeed Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz for a one-year term. The position of chairman of the AU is a rotating one on yearly basis and largely ceremonial.
Mr. Mugabe, who is 90, drew applause when he denounced colonialism.
He also spoke of the "scourge of terrorism" from Boko Haram and said there needed to be "lasting solutions" to the issue in Nigeria and Cameroon.
Earlier, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned of the dangers of leaders clinging to power.
Mr Mugabe has led his country since independence in 1980.
In his address to leaders, Mr Mugabe spoke of the need to take advantage of Africa's mineral wealth and agricultural potential, and guard against exploitation by foreigners.
He said African countries wanted relationships with "friends", but "colonialists and imperialists" had no place in the continent.
Later, he received applause when he referred to the long-running territorial dispute in Western Sahara between Morocco and the Algerian-backed Polisario Front.
"As long as our brothers in Western Sahara are under Moroccan occupation we are not totally free," he said.
Robert Mugabe his ruled Zimbabwe since independence. He is Zimbabwe’s longest serving President and had assumed office in December 1987. Currently, he is also chairman of the 15-nation Southern African Development Community.
He will be 13th Chairman of African Union (AU) and succeed Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz for a one-year term. The position of chairman of the AU is a rotating one on yearly basis and largely ceremonial.
Mr. Mugabe, who is 90, drew applause when he denounced colonialism.
He also spoke of the "scourge of terrorism" from Boko Haram and said there needed to be "lasting solutions" to the issue in Nigeria and Cameroon.
Earlier, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned of the dangers of leaders clinging to power.
Mr Mugabe has led his country since independence in 1980.
In his address to leaders, Mr Mugabe spoke of the need to take advantage of Africa's mineral wealth and agricultural potential, and guard against exploitation by foreigners.
He said African countries wanted relationships with "friends", but "colonialists and imperialists" had no place in the continent.
Later, he received applause when he referred to the long-running territorial dispute in Western Sahara between Morocco and the Algerian-backed Polisario Front.
"As long as our brothers in Western Sahara are under Moroccan occupation we are not totally free," he said.
Robert Mugabe his ruled Zimbabwe since independence. He is Zimbabwe’s longest serving President and had assumed office in December 1987. Currently, he is also chairman of the 15-nation Southern African Development Community.