Known for her effective management and stern personality, the newly elected head of the African Union Commission, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, is expected to make the AU more efficient and expand its cooperation with China.

South African Interior Minister Dlamini-Zuma, 63, beat the incumbent, Jean Ping, of Gabon, after several rounds of voting on Sunday to become the first woman to lead the AU's executive branch.

"It means a lot for Africa ... for the continent, unity and the empowerment of women - very important," said South African President Jacob Zuma, Dlamini-Zuma's former husband, one of the first to offer his congratulations after the vote.