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Gaddafi Out, Leadership of AU Rotated to Malawi
February 16, 2010
By: Randi Zung | Printer Friendly

On January 31, at an annual summit in Ethiopia, African Union (AU) President Muammarr Gaddafi of Libya staged an unsuccessful attempt to prolong his term as AU president.  BBC News reports that Gaddafi was able to gain support from smaller countries by paying their AU membership dues, but failed to find support from larger countries.  According to an eyewitness account, Gaddafi was visibly “reluctant to stand down.” 

After agreeing to hand over the presidency, Gaddafi stated that he would continue to work towards promoting unity within Africa, referring to his vision as the “United States of Africa.”  In his farewell speech, Gaddafi also accused the AU of being ineffective and stated that the governing body prevented the president from having any real power.  He called for the AU to engaged in more proactive involvement within the continent, stating: “May I reiterate the need for our organization to go beyond making decisions, declarations and resolutions. We need to take action now,” Voice of America reports.  AllAfrica reports that Gaddafi also criticized the AU for forcing him to partake in long meetings and for making him read long reports without giving him prior notice.  Gaddafi remarked: “It was like we were building a new atomic bomb or something,” and added that meetings that lasted long into the night were “really useless.” 

Gaddafi was originally elected in February 2009, when Libya was selected for the AU presidency and asked his peers to refer to him as “the King of traditional kings of Africa.”  During his time in power, he was criticized for siding with the military junta in Mauritania and for clashing with other high ranking members over numerous issues.  Gaddafi became the leader of Libya in 1969 during a bloodless coup.  Since assuming power, the country has failed to have free elections.  After Gaddafi ‘s departure, Bingu wa Mutharika of Malawi was elected as the AU’s new president.  Mutharika is the fourth democratically elected AU president.

Voice of America reports that during the summit, the AU expanded the organization’s definition of “unconstitutional power change,” thereby granting them more authority to act in illegal transfers of power such as coups and power grabs.  In addition, the organization approved harsher penalties for individuals found guilty of organizing and committing unconstitutional power grabs.  The broadening of the definition comes after the AU was left relatively powerless following a controversial term limit extension made in 2009 by Niger’s President Mamadou Tandja.  Ramtane Lamamra, AU Peace and Security Commissioner, stated that the Commission-approved measures would “enhance prevention and how to enhance the capacities of the organization to strive to eliminate unconstitutional changes of government.”  AllAfrica reports the organization also stressed the need for resolving the prolonged political crisis in Madagascar.  Jean Ping, head of the AU Commission, stated that countries need to work together to address Madagascar and that any country that chose to act individually would face consequences.

In his closing address at the AU summit, Mutharika stated that he would use his term to address political instability within Africa, Voice of America reports.  Mutharika said: “We must declare war on unconstitutional change of government on African soil and resolve to take strong and necessary measures against all authors of coups, coup d'etats and those that provide them the means to unseat constitutionally elected government.”  In addition, Mutharika also stated that he would work towards addressing the issues of food security and energy production.

The AU, composed of 53 member states, meets annually twice a year in February and July.  The governing body will next convene from July 25-27, 2010.

Sources:

AFP - African Union relief at Kadhafi exit

All Africa – Ban Hits AU Over Coups

Voice of America - AU Summit Approves Tougher Anti-Coup Measures

BBC News - Gaddafi thwarted over African Union presidency