Former South African Minister for Home Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma has been appointed as the first female head of the African Union (AU). According to reports from the AU, she officially took up the post on Monday afternoon at the New African Union Conference Center in Addis Ababa.

Dr Dlamini, South African president Jacob Zuma’s ex-wife, will replace Benin President Thomas Boni Yayi as the AU Chairperson. The Union reports that she will actively begin her duties immediately.

“We must create the conditions to, amongst others, contribute towards global peace and security, sustainable development, and mediate against the effects of climate change,” said Dlamini. Speaking during the 19^th Ordinary Session of the African Union a  few weeks ago, she noted that Africa must take its rightful place as an equal partner in the international community.

The African Union Commission is an organization tasked with ensuring peace and security within the region. It is responsible for monitoring political, economic and social affairs, with regard to trade, infrastructure, energy, agriculture, science, technology and human resources.

The Union is comprised of 10 officials who include a Chairperson, a Deputy Chair and a total of 8 Commissioners and staff members. Their mandate is to drive African development through collaboration between its member states. AU has a total of 53 member states including Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi and Mozambique.