African Union Commission chooses Djibouti’s foreign minister as its new president

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — In a notable development for the African Union, leaders across the continent have appointed Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, the foreign minister of Djibouti, as the new leader of the commission overseeing the organization. This decision was reached during a voting session at the AU summit held in the Ethiopian capital on Saturday.

Youssouf emerged victorious, securing the position against his competitors Raila Odinga, a former prime minister of Kenya, and Richard Randriamandrato, who formerly served as Madagascar’s foreign minister. Within the African Union’s framework, which comprises 55 member countries, it is the presidents or heads of government who select the commission’s leader. The role is crucial as the individual essentially functions as the chief executive of the AU’s secretariat based in Addis Ababa.

With a mandate that lasts four years, Youssouf takes over from Moussa Faki of Chad, who has held the role since 2017. The election outcome is a setback for Odinga, who had sought backing not just from his local allies but also from international partners.

At 80 years old, Odinga has a lengthy and storied political career, having run for the Kenyan presidency five times over 30 years. His bid for the AU role was anticipated to be his final engagement in public service. He attained significant recognition in Kenyan politics when he became prime minister in 2008, following intense negotiations aimed at resolving a violent post-election crisis that resulted in over 1,000 fatalities.

While Odinga remains a revered figure in Kenya, some constituents perceived his recent collaboration with William Ruto, the country’s current president, as a betrayal of his long-standing commitment to improving governance in East Africa.

As the new leader of the AU Commission, Youssouf will face various pressing challenges, including the increasing prevalence of military governments in West Africa and ongoing violent turmoil in Eastern Congo, where recent days have seen significant rebel activity, allegedly backed by Rwanda.

Since 2005, Youssouf has served as Djibouti’s minister of foreign affairs. The African Union often draws scrutiny and criticism for what many perceive as a lack of decisive action in addressing armed conflicts across the continent.