THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.
The African Union (AU) has elected Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Djibouti’s long-serving Foreign Minister, as the new Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC). The election took place during the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, held from 15 to 16 February 2025, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Youssouf will be deputized by Selma Malika Haddadi, Algeria’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the AU. Both leaders will serve four-year terms, renewable once.
Presidents or heads of government pick the commissionโs leader, who is effectively the chief executive of the Addis Ababa-based secretariat running the AU.
The race for the AUC Chairperson was closely contested. Youssouf faced formidable opponents, including Raila Odinga, a former Prime Minister of Kenya, and Richard Randriamandrato, former Foreign Affairs Minister of Madagascar.
Despite Odinga’s prominence in African politics, Youssouf secured the required two-thirds majority vote from the 49 eligible member states, with six AU members currently under sanctions and ineligible to vote. The election extended to seven rounds, underscoring the competitive nature of the process. The 80-year-old Odinga has sought Kenyaโs presidency five times over three decades, and the AU post would have been his last foray in public affairs.
Youssouf, 60, will take over from the outgoing Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, a former Chadian prime minister, who has served for two consecutive terms since 2017. The 59-year-old career diplomat has been foreign minister of Djibouti since 2005 and has also previously served as both the Chairperson of the Council of Ministers of the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) among key other roles.
Youssouf is multilingual, being fluent in French, English, Arabic, Afar and Somali, which positions him well for the diverse linguistic landscape of the AU.
Selma Malika Haddadi, 47, is a seasoned diplomat and legal expert. Prior to her election as Deputy Chairperson, she served as Algeria’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the AU and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). Haddadi succeeds Dr Monique Nsanzabaganwa of Rwanda, who made history in 2021 as the first female Deputy Chairperson.
Angolan President Joรฃo Lourenรงo also assumed the rotating chairmanship of the African Union (AU) at the 38th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly. He takes over from Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazouani, who chaired the AU since February 2024.
The new AU Commissioners
The elections of the African Union Commission are governed by the AU Assembly Rules of Procedure and the AU Commission Statutes. The Deputy must not be from the same region as the Chairperson of the Commission. Additionally, the regions that provide the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson do not contest for Commissioner positions of the African Union.
Theย elections for the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson followed the selection of Commissioners during the 46th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council on 12 February 2025. Commissioners serve four-year terms, renewable once. Four of the six available Commissioner positions were filled:
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Amb. Bankole Adeoye (Nigeria, Western region) was re-elected as Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security (PAPS). He previously served as Nigeriaโs Permanent Representative to the AU and UNECA, and as Ambassador to Ethiopia and Djibouti.
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Mr. Moses Vilakati (Eswatini, Southern region) was elected Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (ARBE). He formerly served as Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs in Eswatini.
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Ms. Lerato Mataboge (South Africa, Southern region) was elected Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy (I&E). She is a global trade and investment expert, currently serving as Deputy Director-General in South Africaโs Department of Trade, Industry and Competition.
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Amb. Amma Twum-Amoah (Ghana, Western region) was elected Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs, and Social Development (HHS). She is Ghanaโs former Ambassador to multiple East African countries and a former Permanent Representative to the AU.
Elections for the Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry, and Mining (ETTIM) and Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation (ESTI) were postponed, with incumbents Amb. Albert Muchanga and Prof. Mohammed Belhocine remaining in office until the elections take place.
Challenges before new leadership
Youssouf’s election comes at a pivotal time for the African continent. The new Chairperson inherits pressing challenges, including political instability in regions such as Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as the imperative to advance economic integration and development across member states. His extensive diplomatic background and previous leadership roles are expected to influence his approach to these issues.
As Youssouf and Haddadi prepare to assume their roles, the AU and its member states anticipate a period of proactive engagement and strategic initiatives aimed at fostering peace, stability, and prosperity across Africa. The new leadership is poised to build upon existing frameworks while introducing innovative solutions to navigate the complexities of the continent’s political and socio-economic landscape.
Adira Kallo
