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PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe hands over the chairmanship of the African Union to Chad President Idriss Deby Itno at the 26th summit of the continental body in Addis Ababa this weekend having presided over the bloc’s most progressive period.

The end of his tenure as head of the AU caps a momentous reign during which he also doubled up as chairman of Sadc — a role he carried out with aplomb before handing the baton to current chair Botswana President Ian Khama.

We applaud his statesmanship and the exemplary manner in which he led both organisations despite an often punishing schedule and competing demands from his local constituency in Zimbabwe, Sadc and the AU. As he relinquishes the AU chair, Cde Mugabe can look back with satisfaction at the sterling role he played in pushing the continental agenda. His wisdom and inspiration was crucial in diffusing hotspots in West Africa while on the economic front, he was instrumental in ensuring that both Sadc and the AU adopted beneficiation as a key economic enabler. Cde Mugabe also played a vital role in strengthening Africa’s relationship with China — the world’s second largest economy — and this culminated in the China-Africa summit in South Africa.

It was not by coincidence that he was handed both roles by African nations but there was a realisation that his vast experience as one of the founder members of the AU and Sadc was needed at this point.

Speaking to journalists in Harare at the weekend, Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, explained President Mugabe’s remarkable year.

“There’s an erroneous view that these happened as a result of a rotational coincidence; in other words it only happened because it was Zimbabwe’s turn at the same time. This, of course, isn’t correct. It wasn’t Zimbabwe’s turn to chair Sadc, and it wasn’t Zimbabwe’s turn to chair the African Union. No. This happened not by coincidence, but by a conscious decision: first by Sadc that they wanted His Excellency the President to lead our regional organisation at that point in time.

“Then subsequently, it was again by conscious decision of the African Union that President Mugabe should lead the continental body at that point in time, knowing very well that he was already the Sadc leader.

“In other words, this was a conscious desire by both the region and the continent that our President was a leader of such stature that both organisations could benefit tremendously by his leadership, by his guidance, by his inspiration.”

Under his watch, the AU, implemented a plan to enhance domestic financing with some members increasing their financial contributions. It was under President Mugabe that the AU streamlined working methods at summits, breathing new life into a process that had become mundane. The outgoing AU chair was also credited for giving the AU’s Agenda 2063, Africa’s 50-year development blueprint, direction when he oversaw a Summit at which the first 10-year implementation plan was adopted.

Leveraging on Sadc’s Industrialisation Strategy, which he was instrumental in getting the region to adopt when he chaired that bloc, President Mugabe got Africa talking about industrial development over the past year.

The President was also at the forefront of peace and security efforts on the continent after overseeing the signing of the peace agreement between Mali’s government and Tuareg rebels; as well as working towards easing tensions in Burkina Faso, DRC, Lesotho, Madagascar and other hot spots.

On health, President Mugabe played an instrumental role in spearheading an international plea to fight Ebola, which ravaged West Africa last year. The outbreak was eventually contained this year. Under President Mugabe, the AU made a commitment to finance 100 percent of its operational budget in the next five years — up from the current 40 percent. In the same period, the internal funding thresholds are set at 75 percent for the programmes budget and 25 percent for the peace-keeping budget.

We salute his astute leadership skills, selfless dedication to duty and guidance he gave to both the AU and Sadc. Foreign Affairs officials told our Harare Bureau that President Mugabe brought a refreshing air to AU meetings, which he chaired with wit, poise, intelligence and charm, leaving delegates in awe. We are in no doubt that his leadership qualities will be sorely missed.