The African Union (AU) on Saturday elected Djibouti’s Mahmoud Ali Youssouf as the new Chairperson of the AU Commission at its 38th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly of the Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The AU Commission is the executive arm or Secretariat of the continental body.
Youssouf, who won 33 out of 49 votes to defeat Kenya’s former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, succeeds Chad’s Moussa Faki Mahamat for a four-year term.
The 59-year-old career diplomat the longest-serving foreign minister on the continent, having served as Djibouti’s foreign minister since 2005. Youssouf was previously his country’s ambassador to Egypt and has also served as foreign minister.
“Congratulates H.E Mahamoud Ali Youssouf -Djibouti on his election as the incoming African Union Chairperson. May his term bring progress, unity & sustainability, advancing #Agenda2063, as we build #TheAfricaWeWant,” the African Union wrote in a post on X.
“I wish Mahamoud Ali Youssouf all the best and success in his undertaking. I also want to thank both those who voted for me and those who did not for exercising their democratic right,” said Odinga afterwards.
Algeria’s ambassador to Ethiopia, Selma Malika Haddadi, was elected as the Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission.
Meanwhile, Angola’s João Lourenço is the new African Union Chairperson, taking over from Mauritania’s Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani.
