President Kagame congratulates newly elected AUC Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson

President Paul Kagame has congratulated Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and Selma Malika Haddadi on their election as Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), respectively. The election took place during the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Saturday, February 15. It aimed to select new leadership for the AUC, replacing outgoing Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat and Deputy Chairperson Dr. Monique Nsanzabaganwa. Djibouti’s long-serving Foreign Minister, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, was el

President Paul Kagame has congratulated Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and Selma Malika Haddadi on their election as Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), respectively. The election took place during the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Saturday, February 15. It aimed to select new leadership for the AUC, replacing outgoing Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat and Deputy Chairperson Dr. Monique Nsanzabaganwa. Djibouti’s long-serving Foreign Minister, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, was elected as the new Chairperson of the African Union Commission, while Selma Malika Haddadi from Algeria was chosen as the incoming Deputy Chairperson. On Sunday night, President Kagame extended his congratulations to the newly elected AUC leaders. “My congratulations to our new AUC Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf who emerged victorious from among a distinguished group of Eastern African leaders, all of whom did Africa proud. I also congratulate Selma Malika Haddadi on her election as AUC Deputy Chairperson. I wish them both success in their new roles,” he said in a statement. He also commended outgoing Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat for his commitment to African unity. “His dedication to promoting peace and prosperity has fostered stronger partnerships among our nations. He leaves behind a fundamentally reformed Union,” the President wrote on X. The Chairperson of the African Union Commission serves as the Chief Executive Officer, legal representative of the AU, and the Commission’s Chief Accounting Officer. They are directly accountable to the Executive Council for the execution of their duties and are elected by the Assembly for a four-year term, renewable once. The Chairperson’s responsibilities include overseeing the administration and finances of the Commission, promoting and popularizing the AU’s objectives, facilitating decision-making and coordination among AU organs, ensuring compliance with AU policies and strategies, consulting with Member States and regional institutions, conducting diplomatic representations on behalf of the AU, and preparing the AU budget and strategic plans, among other duties.