(Seychelles News Agency) - The Vice-President of the Seychelles, Danny Faure, is set to represent President James Michel in Addis Ababa at the 24th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU).

According to a statement issued by the Office of the President on Thursday afternoon, the Vice-President will be accompanied by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Jean-Paul Adam, as well as the Ambassador to the Seychelles in Ethiopia and Permanent Representative of the AU, Joseph Nourrice.

The two-day Heads of State Summit, which begins Friday, is being held under the theme “2015: Year of Empowerment and Development of Women Towards the Agenda 2063 Africa”, thanks in part to the chairperson of the African Union Commission, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma’s passion for gender equality issues. The summit will address gender equality and participation in politics and the private sector.

However, the theme is likely to be overshadowed by pressing security concerns on the continent, such as discussions around the increasingly violent attacks by Islamic militant group Boko Haram in Nigeria and Chad. Also high on the agenda will be a report on the Ebola crisis in West Africa and the AU’s difficulties in mounting a coordinated response to the outbreak.

The summit will discuss ways for the continent to finance its own development needs more effectively to decrease African nations’ historical dependence on international partners.

Other hot topics include Agenda 2063 Africa, climate change and the question around whether Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe will be elected as the AU’s chairman to replace Mauritania's President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.

If President Mugabe, who turns 91 in February, is elected to the rotational AU chairmanship, he would from next year be expected to represent the organisation at diplomatic events and summits, including the G8 and G20 meetings, which may prove challenging. As part of sanctions against his regime, the European Union and the United States have banned the Zimbabwean leader from travelling to their territories.