Senior AU Somalia post for South African

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Long-serving African Union (AU) South African staffer Fiona Lortan is the continental body’s new deputy special representative of the AU chair taking up deputy head of mission duties in the east African country at the same time.

An AU communique has it that “she brings a wealth of experience to the position and will play an important role in the transition phase of the AU’s commitment to ensuring a stable and secure Somalia”.

She joined the AU Commission in May 2002 and worked in various roles ensuring peace and security around the continent. Most recently she was acting director for conflict management in the Political Affairs Peace and Security Department (PAPS) and worked on AMISOM (African Union Mission in Somalia). She was previously in Khartoum, Sudan, as a member of the AU High Level Implementation Panel on Sudan and South Sudan, headed by former South African president Thabo Mbeki.

Speaking after her appointment AU PAPS commissioner Ambassador Bankole Adeoye said: “She will, among other tasks, help the AU deliver on all that is required to end AMISOM and follow through on ongoing preparations for the mandate, composition, size and structure of a proposed new mission in Somalia”.