Addis Ababa – The Executive Council that gathers African Foreing ministers, closed Saturday evening in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), with the approval of the draft agenda for the 19th Summit of African Union Heads of State and Government.

According to the Angolan Foreign minister, Georges Chikoti, the council worked well on essential matters like the AU budget for 2013. 

The  minister also stated that the Council has decided it is too early for the African Parliament to be entrusted full powers.

He said he believes the Summit of Heads of State and Government will focus on the election of the AU Commission’s chair.

Standing for the AU chair are Gabonese outgoing Jean Ping, in the post for the last five years and the South African Interior minister, Nkosozana Zuma, a nominee of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC). None of the candidates reached the two-thirds required to win the post.

Georges Chikoti stated that should none of the parties still reach the two¬-thirds required, the heads of State and Government might demand the substitution of the two candidates and call new election for January 2013.

He said there is an intense campaign at SADC level, but it is still too early for predictions about the winner.