African Union Gets First Female Leader

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma was South African minister

By Newser Editors and Wire Services

Posted Oct 15, 2012 8:42 AM CDT

Copied

African Union Gets First Female Leader — In this Aug. 7, 2012 file photo, Hillary Rodham Clinton dances other officials, including now-African Union Chair Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, during a dinner in Pretoria, South Africa. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File, Pool)

A female leader has taken up the top leadership position at the African Union for the first time. South Africa's Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma today took charge of the African Union, where she will be in charge of peace, security, politics, and economic affairs of the continent. Dlamini-Zuma was most recently South Africa's minister of home affairs, and also served as the country's minister of foreign affairs. Outgoing AU chair Jean Ping gave the gavel to Dlamini-Zuma during a ceremony at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Ping had held the position since 2008. Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn, who attended the ceremony, wished Dlamini-Zuma good success, but warned that her tasks will be arduous. (Read more African Union stories.)