Mr. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Foreign Minister from Djibouti, has bid to become the new chairperson of the African Union Commission.
Mr. Youssouf defeated former Kenyan Prime Minister Mr. Raila Odinga and Richard Randriamandrato, former Madagascar foreign minister, for the position in a fiercely contested 7 rounds election held February 15, 2025, at the 38th Ordinary Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Mr. Youssouf, during his address, promised to prioritize issues of security in the continent as well as bridging the linguistic and cultural disparities in Africa.
His win marks a significant moment for Djibouti, as he prepares to lead the African Union’s efforts in tackling key issues facing the region.
The 59-year-old has served as the country’s diplomat to Egypt and as a foreign minister since 2005, playing key roles in the African Union.
Mr Yousoouf will be responsible for governing about 1.5 billion people in the population of Africans across the continent. His multilingual ability to speak French, Arabic, and English has been tipped by many as an advantage alongside his experience on matters of African politics
