By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, July 15 -- It took a long time and it got pretty dirty, but South Africa's Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has supplanted Gabon's Jean Ping as chair of the AU Commission.
While finally resolved in Addis Ababa, at the UN in New York this multi-month fight has played out, from grumbles about Gabon's role on Eritrea sanctions in December to astrange press conference at the Millennium Plaza Hotel featuring lamb chops and Equatorial Guinea.
Each side has its arguments, some advances with others' resources, but now it is resolved: Nkosazana Diamini-Zuma has won.
Certainly for Polisario and those wanting a referendum for Western Sahara, the result is a good one. Given the way the UN and others often take the UN for granted, too, having it headed by a large country is probably a good thing.
One wonders what Ban Ki-moon and Jan Eliasson think -- this will be pursued. For now, late on Sunday from New York, we simply report the news: Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma is the new chair of the AU Commission. Watch this site.
