The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, HE Dr. Dlamini Zuma congratulates African and Diaspora writers – past and present - on the occasion of the 23rd Anniversary of International African Writers Day, 7 November 2016. She recalls that the day coincides with the birth of the Pan African Writers Association, an organization dedicated to promoting African classic works, and encouraging publishing and the culture of writing and reading on the continent.

 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – 7 November 2016: The Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) has expressed her deep sadness following the untimely death of Major-General Dr. Julius Facki Oketta, former Head of Mission to the African Union Support to Ebola Outbreak to West Africa (ASEOWA). The death occurred in Kampala, Uganda, on Saturday, 5 November 2016, following a heart-attack. He died at the age of 60. The AU Commission Chairperson has sent her deepest condolences to the bereaved family, as well as to the Government and People of the Republic of Uganda.