* Ping fails to win outright majority
* South Africa suffers diplomatic blow
By Aaron Maasho and Yara Bayoumy
ADDIS ABABA, Jan 30 (Reuters) – The African Union
failed to elect a new head on Monday, highlighting the weakness
of a group criticised for slow decision-making during political
turmoil on the continent last year.
Former South African Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
was up against incumbent commission chairman Jean Ping of Gabon,
who failed to win an outright majority in four rounds of voting.
The commission is the AU secretariat’s top organ and the
chair its public face.
Smaller countries said Zuma’s candidacy broke an unwritten
rule that the continent’s dominant states do not contest the
leadership. “South Africa’s decision to do so turns everything
upside down,” a West African delegate said.
“You could say they may have not voted for Ping but the
smaller countries are sceptical of the big countries,” he said.
Analysts said Ping’s attempts to juggle the diverse views of
its 54 members had hampered decision-making on Libya after the
overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi.
Continued…
