Djibouti’s Mahmoud Ali Youssouf Elected Chair of African Union Commission
In a historic move, Djibouti’s Foreign Minister, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, has been elected as the new chair of the African Union Commission. He takes over the reins from Moussa Faki, the former prime minister of Chad, who had been at the helm of the 55-nation bloc since 2017. Youssouf emerged victorious in a closely contested vote at the AU summit in Addis Ababa, defeating strong contenders such as former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Madagascar’s ex-Foreign Minister Richard Randriamandrato.
The election outcome comes as a disappointment for Odinga, a revered political figure in Kenya who previously served as prime minister in 2008. Youssouf, who has been Djibouti’s foreign affairs minister since 2005, ran his campaign on a platform focused on peace and security. As he assumes his new role, he faces a myriad of challenges across the continent, including the emergence of military juntas in West Africa, the devastating civil war in Sudan leading to the world’s largest displacement crisis, and ongoing conflicts in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The African Union Commission has often been criticized for its perceived delayed response to crises, highlighting the crucial role that the new chair will play in addressing these pressing issues and fostering unity and progress across Africa.
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