President Ruto Has Skipped Significant AU Continental Event in Ghana
President William Ruto has skipped the African Union’s (AU) Sixth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting, which is currently being held in Ghana.
This move suggests a shift in strategy as the Head of State seeks to lower political tensions in the country.
The meeting aims to improve coordination and cooperation between the African Union, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and Member States in order to advance Africa’s development and integration agenda.
Ruto’s absence from the event is significant because, in February 2024, he was named African Union Champion for Institutional Reform, a position previously held by Rwandan President Paul Kagame.
In this role, Ruto is expected to spearhead reforms to the African Union Commission, AU Organs, and Specialised Agencies to make them more effective and efficient in managing the continental body’s programmes.
The discussions at this meeting in Ghana will center on strengthening multilateral institutions that will support African member states’ economic relations.
The meeting will also assess the status of continental integration and coordinate efforts to accelerate the process, implement a clear division of labor, and foster effective collaboration between the Union and African States.
The event will also seek to coordinate and harmonize African Union policies in order to accelerate Africa’s integration process.
It will also identify areas of cooperation and set up mechanisms for regional and continental reforms.
This comes at a time when President Ruto is scrambling to reestablish his authority at home, which has recently been battered by protests as young people continue to demand accountability from the government.
What began as anti-Finance Bill protests quickly evolved into a movement demanding that the President remove his government to ensure better governance and service delivery for all Kenyans.
Before the protests began, President Ruto was heavily criticized for his frequent foreign trips.
At the time, the Head of State justified the trips, claiming that they were intended to strengthen bilateral relations with development partners.
RUTO IN BOMET
— KBC Channel1 News (@KBCChannel1) July 21, 2024
Ruto : Enough is enough, going forward we will protect the nation, we will protect life and property.#OlympicsIkoKBC pic.twitter.com/QIZ8mA5o3y
President Ruto has since reduced his foreign trips in response to the pressure brought on by Generation Z, who stormed the streets to demand key government reforms.
The protests led to the president dissolving his cabinet, but he has since renominated four members.
By the time this article was published, the State House had yet to comment on why President Ruto did not attend the AU meeting.
President Ruto Has Skipped Significant AU Continental Event in Ghana
