Djibouti’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, has been elected as the new Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), defeating former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga and former Minister of Foreign Affairs in Madagascar Richard Randriamandrato.
Youssouf’s victory came after five rounds of voting, with the diplomat securing 33 votes in the seventh round to emerge as the new leader of the AUC.
He will succeed Chadian former Prime Minister Moussa Faki Mahamat, who is stepping down after serving two terms of four years each.
In his acceptance speech, Youssouf vowed to drive transformation and ensure that Africa is placed on the African agenda.
His emergence has been seen as a surprise, as many observers had expected Odinga to win.
However, Odinga’s failure to articulate his vision within the allotted time may have cost him the election. He spent three minutes reviewing the history of Pan-Africanism and African solidarity but was cut off by the electronic timer before he could outline his plans.
Meanwhile, Angolan President Joao Lourenco has been elected as the new Chairperson of the African Union (AU), a position that rotates among the heads of state
