Djibouti’s Foreign Minister, Mohamoud Ali Youssouf, has triumphed over Kenya’s Raila Odinga in the race for the African Union (AU) Commission chairperson during a heated election at the 38th AU Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Saturday.
In a closely contested vote, Odinga was eliminated after securing only 22 votes in the sixth round, while Youssouf emerged victorious in a race that also featured Richard Randriamandrato of Madagascar. Randriamandrato was eliminated after the third round, leaving Odinga and Youssouf to battle it out.
Youssouf’s victory means he succeeds Chad’s Moussa Faki Mahamat, who has served as African Union Commission Chair since 2017.
His election comes at a time of critical challenges for the African Union, including ongoing conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan, and economic difficulties worsened by the U.S. pulling financial aid from several African nations.
In addition to the commission chair election, the summit also saw a leadership transition within the African Union. Angola’s President João Lourenço was elected as the new AU Chairperson, succeeding Mauritania’s Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani.
The result has sparked mixed reactions in Kenya. While some supporters of Odinga expressed disappointment, others saw his loss as an opportunity for him to refocus on his political career, particularly with an eye on the Kenyan presidency in 2027.
International attention was also drawn to the summit, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres in attendance. He called for renewed efforts to resolve Africa’s conflicts and urged African Union member states to work together on peacebuilding.
As the new AU Commission Chair, Youssouf now faces the immense challenge of addressing Africa’s pressing issues, including strengthening security, fostering economic growth, and improving the continent’s global standing.
