In the said article, Mr. Dingake contends that I seemed to convey an impression during a panel discussion broadcast on Radio Botswana that the concept of an African Union Government was obscure, this is to say new and unclear, whereas the concept dates back to the early 1960s and is clearly understood. It is quite clear to me that, with due respect, Mr. Dingake missed the point and misinterprets my contribution at the panel discussion.
That the concept of the African Union Government is not new is a fact that nobody can dispute and I have stated this in numerous statements and press interviews. The question is what shape and form should the Union Government take. This is the matter that is not clear as Member States of the AU still hold divergent views, a fact that Mr. Dingake himself acknowledges in the opening line of his article. To this end, the Accra Summit of the African Union established a Committee of 10 Ministers to consider in detail the issue of the Union Government. I have been tasked, together with my colleague, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of South Africa, Dr Dlamini-Zuma, to represent the Southern Africa region in this committee.
