"As chairman of the African Union we must present a draft on the common defence policy to the (organisation's) summit in Maputo in July," Zuma told journalists at a media briefing in Pretoria.

The foreign ministers of the 53 AU member-states, who make up the executive council of the organisation, will meet at the luxury casino resort until Friday.

The AU was established last year, replacing the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), formed 40 years ago.

Zuma, who will preside over the meeting, said the foreign ministers would also discuss the recruitment of commissioners for the AU.

"We need to appoint that commission with a chairman, a deputy and eight commissions in July," she said.

This is a complex and challenging matter because regional distribution demands that two commissioners come from each of the five regions in Africa and that one of each should be a woman.

The ministers will attend celebrations in Johannesburg on Sunday to mark the 40th anniversary of the founding of the OAU.

WAR.WIRE