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ADDIS ABABA. — Election of new chairperson and deputy chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission is among the major activities of the upcoming AU summit scheduled to take place from July 10-18 in Kigali, Rwanda. The summit to be held under the theme, “Year of Human Rights, with a particular focus on the Rights of Women,” will also elect new commissioners and other officials.

AU has briefed a cross section of African society and international organisations on the forthcoming 27th AU summit and key events, according to a statement from the pan-African bloc on Saturday.

Addressing almost 100 participants at the Oxfam-organised forum in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa in the middle of the week, Jennifer Chiriga, Chief of Staff of the AU Commission, provided a summary of the works of the permanent representatives committee (PRC), the Executive Council and the Assembly.

Chiriga said the Executive Council would review the recommendations of the PRC, recommend the budget for 2017 to the Assembly, and will also elect new commissioners and judges for the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

The Chief of Staff stated that the session of the AU heads of states would start its work with a closed session aimed at discussing strategic issues. The Assembly will also be electing the chairperson and the deputy chairperson of the AU Commission, said Chiriga.

African Editors Forum, the Launch of African Women Decade Report, Announcement of the Awardees for 2016 Gender Score Card, and Launch of the AU passport are among the other major events in the framework of the summit.

The Chief of Staff explained the issue of attendance at AU summits, which is in line with the decision of the Assembly to streamline the summits, indicating that the July summit is now mainly devoted to heads of state to talk amongst themselves without distractions, noted the statement.

However, observers will continue to be welcome to the January summits that are normally held at the headquarters of the AU in Addis Ababa, according to the statement. — Xinhua.