Leaders of the 55-nation continental grouping voted to pass this ceremonial role to South Africa when Egypt’s turn ends in 2020.

South Africa will be serving the second year of its rotating membership of the United Nations Security Council next year.

So having the presidency of the African Union will give South Africa a particularly significant international role.

The last time South Africa held the AU leadership was in 2002 when Thabo Mbeki was president.

Cyril Ramaphosa, who is expected to be South Africa’s president next year, is already being pushed to campaign for  human rights – particularly in Africa – if and when he succeeds Egypt’s President Abdel Fatah El Sisi who is expected to emphasize security and peacekeeping during his AU presidency 

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President Jacob Zuma is among leaders from across the world who’ve flow in to witness the inauguration of Muhammadu Buhari a former military dictator turned democrat.

The sense of history in Nigeria is heightened by the prospect of both the incoming and outgoing presidents being together at Eagle Square in Abuja today.

But it’s the sense of expectation that will drive President Muhammadu Buhari once he’s taken the oath of office.

The former military leader’s expected to get a grip on the security situation in Africa’s most populous country.

And he has to tackle endemic corruption.

When he took some handover notes from outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday, he was urged to show no fear or favour in waging this battle.

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