The new African Union (AU) Commission Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, has pledged to placed development and security at the top of his agenda.
Mahamat who is Chadian Foreign Minister was elected on Monday in Addis Ababa, replacing outgoing South Africa’s Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. He won the election by beating his closest rival, Kenyan Foreign Minister, Amina Mohammed, after the 54-member Head of States cast their votes in a private ballot box.
The Guardian reported that, Mahamat during his campaign said that he harboured dreams of an Africa where the “sound of guns will be drowned out by cultural songs and rumbling factories”, pledging to streamline the organization during the course of his four-year term in office.
Potential candidates need to sweep at least two-thirds which is equivalent to 36 votes to win the top position. Mahamat’s wining came after seven rounds of voting, as he secured the support of 39 votes, Sudan Tribune noted.
Similarly, Guinea’s President, Alpha Conde, has been elected also as the new chairperson of the African Union (AU). He was elected at the 28th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) which opened on Monday at the AU headquarters in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
He took over the AU chairmanship from Chadian President, Idris Deby, who on Monday completed his one year tenure.
President Conde in his speech said that he will firmly work to speed up and eventually meet targets and initiatives set by his predecessor among others, fighting against challenges such as threats of terrorism, Migration and need to make the continent independent.
The Union on Monday also reached a consensus over Morocco who opted out of the Organization for African Union in 1984, protesting a decision to welcome the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. It decided to admit Morocco as its 55th member, Sudan Tribune reported.
The theme for this year’s summit is: “Harnessing Demographic Dividend through Investment in Youth”.
