 A week before Gaddafi's death during the Libyan Civil War, South African President Jacob Zuma expressed relief at the regime's downfall, complaining that Gaddafi had been "intimidating" many African heads of state and government in an effort to gain influence throughout the continent and suggesting that the African Union will function better without Gaddafi and his repeated proposals for a unitary African government.Gaddafi was ultimately killed during the Battle of Sirte in October 2011.While some regard the project to have died with him, Robert Mugabe expressed interest in reviving the project.