The race for the African Union Commission’s (AUC) chairpersonship intensified this week as three candidates from the Eastern Africa region presented their competing visions for steering the continent’s primary intergovernmental body, amid growing calls to reposition Africa on the global stage and address persistent challenges to its security and development.
Djibouti’s Foreign Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, Kenya’s former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, and Madagascar’s former Foreign Affairs Minister Richard Randriamandrato participated in a widely-broadcast debate at the African Union (AU) headquarters in Addis Ababa on Friday. This debate, a rare display of continental political engagement, afforded candidates the opportunity to outline their proposed strategies to realise Agenda 2063 — the AU’s 50-year blueprint for achieving continental prosperity, integration, and peace.
Mahamoud Ali Youssouf underscored the need for a more dynamic and proactive AU Peace and Security Council, operationalising the long-anticipated African Standby Force and securing stable financing mechanisms for the AU. His proposals spotlighted the strategic importance of fostering intra-African trade and advancing the free movement of goods and people, crucial objectives for fulfilling the promises of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). “The Africa we want is one of peace, integration, and prosperity,” Youssouf stated, while also emphasising Africa’s role on the international stage as a priority under his leadership.
Kenya’s Raila Odinga presented himself as a staunch Pan-Africanist committed to the founding vision of African unity, tracing its roots to the establishment of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 1963. His proposals centred on advancing quality education, bolstering healthcare systems, improving value-added production, enhancing infrastructure, and accelerating intra-African trade. “Africa is moving forward, but there is unfinished work,” Odinga declared. “What remains now is action, and I will lead from the front to ensure we realise the aspirations of our founding fathers.”
Richard Randriamandrato of Madagascar brought a technocratic tone to the discourse, focusing on harnessing Africa’s untapped economic potential. He reiterated his confidence in the AU’s ability to drive meaningful socioeconomic progress while advocating for competent leadership as the cornerstone of achieving this objective. “There is an Africa that is dynamic and moving forward,” Randriamandrato asserted. “Leadership requires conviction, competence, and the resolve to ensure this momentum continues.”
The February 2025 election will adhere to the AU’s principle of regional rotation, which mandates that the chairperson’s role be filled by a candidate from the Eastern Africa region this cycle. Meanwhile, the Northern Africa region will nominate candidates for the deputy chairperson role, and the remaining three regions—Central, Southern, and Western Africa—will submit candidates for six key commissioner portfolios.
This electoral process unfolds at a pivotal juncture for the AU, as persistent instability across regions such as the Sahel, Central Africa, and the Horn of Africa underscores the urgent need for decisive leadership. The AU has faced scrutiny over its capacity to effectively mediate conflict and operationalise its peace initiatives, particularly as military coups and prolonged crises continue to destabilise the continent.
Observers note that beyond security concerns, the incoming AUC chairperson will confront broader socioeconomic challenges, including addressing Africa’s lagging Human Development Index and harnessing opportunities for meaningful economic growth. The integration of Africa’s private sector and academia into the policymaking landscape is seen as essential to driving a more sustainable and inclusive developmental agenda.
Costantinos Bt. Costantinos, a former economic adviser to the AU and the UN Economic Commission for Africa, highlighted the need for robust leadership capable of tackling both historical and emerging challenges. “The incoming leadership will be tested to alleviate the root causes of incessant conflicts and military coups destabilising the continent,” he noted. “There is also an urgent need to boost human capital development and align strategies to meet Africa’s developmental priorities under Agenda 2063.”
The outgoing AUC Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, elected to office in 2017, will conclude his tenure in early 2025, leaving behind a complex legacy of both progress and unresolved challenges.
Friday’s debate, which included questions from African citizens, underscored the growing appetite for transparency and public engagement in the AU’s leadership processes. As Africa confronts a critical crossroads, the next chairperson of the AU Commission will bear the responsibility of driving forward a continent striving for peace, unity, and prosperity against the headwinds of global and local challenges.
