AU to Suspend Egypt over Mursi’s Ouster

Local Editor

The African Union will meet Friday to discuss the crisis in Egypt, with delegates seen likely to suspend Cairo in line with strict rules against what it called "unconstitutional changes of government", officials said.

The pan-African bloc's Peace and Security Council will meet Friday morning at AU headquarters in the Ethiopian capital to discuss the ousting of President Mohammed Mursi, the organization said on Thursday.

The meeting's announcement came after AU Commission Chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma stressed that "it observes that the removal of ... Mursi was in violation of the provisions of the Egyptian Constitution and falls under the AU doctrine on unconstitutional changes of government".

Dlamini-Zuma, in a statement late Wednesday, added that she "is particularly concerned about the tension prevailing in the country, and the risks that this situation poses to stability and security in Egypt".

An AU source, who asked not to be identified, said: "The belief is that the doctrine will be applied, which is suspension for any country where an unconstitutional change has taken place."

Meanwhile, Ramtane Lamamra, head of the PSC, highlighted: "We intend to dispatch a mission and urge the Egyptian authorities to establish dialogue."

In March, the AU suspended the Central African Republic after rebels overthrew the government. In recent years, the AU has suspended Madagascar and Mali for similar reasons. Mali's suspension has since been lifted.

The AU's position on Egypt was echoed by Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta.

"We did have an elected government elected through a due democratic process, so what is happening currently in Egypt is indeed a matter of grave concern not just to us in Africa, but should be a matter of great concern to any true believer of a democratic process," Kenyatta, whose own election victory in March was contested in the courts but upheld, told reporters.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team