The 11th African Union (AU) extraordinary summit which kicked off with the session of the AU Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC), entered its second day Tuesday at the AU headquarters in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, with due focus on the AU institutional reform.

Bringing together envoys of the 55 members and key officials of the Union among others, the two-day PRC session considers and deliberates on issues related to the AU's institutional reform process, including reform of the AU Commission.

The PRC meeting's deliberations focus on the structure and portfolios of the senior leadership of the AU Commission, selection of the senior leadership of the Commission, as well as administrative and financial reforms, according to an AU statement.

Speaking to the PRC session, Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the AU Commission, has reiterated that significant progress has been made in the implementation since the AU reform process was launched in January 2017.

"The rationalization of our working methods has resulted in greater efficiency in the conduct of the affairs of our Union. Progress towards financial autonomy has established the conditions for greater ownership of our policies and efforts. The ongoing improvement in the representation of youths and women in the Commission will inject greater dynamism and innovation within it. At the same time, it must be recognized that much remains to be done," Mahamat has said.

The Chairperson has reiterated that the reform was initiated to meet the strong and legitimate expectations of member states and their peoples.

"Agenda 2063, which serves as a compass in this new phase of the pan-African movement, obliges us to accelerate integration, to put an end to the poverty and underdevelopment afflicting our populations; to silence the weapons and thus put an end to the suffering of all kinds generated by the conflicts; and to ensure that Africa speaks with one voice in the international arena to better defend its interests and work towards a more just and inclusive world order," he has noted.

Such ambitious objectives of Agenda 2063 require, for their realization, a more functional and efficient Union, he has underlined.