Ruto arrives in Addis Ababa for Extraordinary AU Summit
President William Ruto has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to attend the Extraordinary African Union Summit, where African leaders will elect the next African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson.
The President touched down in Addis Ababa on February 13, 2025, joining Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs CS Musalia Mudavadi, who had arrived earlier to lead diplomatic efforts supporting Kenya’s candidate, Raila Odinga, in the AUC chairperson race.
Ruto was accompanied by First Lady Rachel Ruto who is attending the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) General Assembly.
In a statement shared on her X account on February 13, 2025, the first lady announced the arrival of President Ruto in Addis Ababa.
“I arrived in Addis Ababa today, accompanying the President, Dr. William Ruto, for this important gathering,” she said.
“The AU General Assembly is a pivotal moment for Africa, where African leaders gather to shape the future of our continent. As we convene in Ethiopia, I am honoured to join fellow First Ladies of Africa in championing women’s leadership and rights, a mission that will be the focal point of the 29th OAFLAD General Assembly,” Rachel added.
National Assembly Majority Leader and Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah in a statement on X had earlier announced the President’s departure.
“Accompanied Deputy President Kindiki Kithure in seeing off President William Ruto who departed for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for the extraordinary AU Summit,” Ichung’wah said.
Mudavadi in Addis Ababa
Speaking to a local media station in Addis Ababa on February 13, 2025, CS Mudavadi provided updates on the ongoing elections and deliberations.
“We are on day two of the AU Executive Council, this is the segment of the ministers and we have conducted the elections of other officers or officials,” he reported.
Mudavadi outlined the next steps for the African Union’s 46th session of the Executive Council.
“We are beginning to examine various reports. The outgoing AUC chairman Moussa Faki has presented his report and we are going to start reviewing a report on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Africa Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the legal instruments that need to be adjusted. These are the areas that will be focused on. Hopefully, when this is done the executive council will now pave the way for the summit which involves the heads of state,” Mudavadi explained.
During the summit, President Ruto, alongside Mudavadi, will participate in a meeting of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change.
AUC elections
This year’s AUC chairperson election, featuring four contenders, will determine who succeeds current Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat.
On January 27, 2025, the African Union announced that the race to succeed the current AUC Chairperson will be decided through a two-phase election process.
In the first phase, scheduled for February 12-13, 2025, the AU Executive Council, which consists of foreign ministers from member states, will elect and appoint commissioners to oversee various portfolios within the AU Commission.
The second phase will involve voting on candidates for top leadership positions, including the AUC chairperson and the deputy chairpersons.
The crucial vote for the chairperson position is set to take place during this second phase on February 15-16, 2025, when the Assembly of Heads of State and Government convenes.
Kenya’s diplomatic push
Kenya’s candidate, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, recently concluded his continental campaign tour in Burundi and has secured backing from more than 28 African heads of state.
These endorsements span across different regions, including Southern Africa, West Africa, East Africa, North Africa, and island nations.
“I will be heading to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for the final stretch, and I thank you all for your unwavering support and prayers throughout the journey of my candidacy for the African Union Commission Chairmanship,” he said in a statement posted on his Facebook account on February 12, 2025.
The AUC chairperson election will see Odinga competing against Djibouti’s Mahmoud Youssouf, Mauritius’s Anil Kumarsingh Gayan, and Madagascar’s Richard Randriamandrato.
