5 things to know about newly elected AUC deputy chairperson Selma Haddadi
As the African Union Commission (AUC) elections came to a close, Selma Haddadi secured the position of Deputy Chairperson, while Djibouti’s Foreign Minister, Mahmoud Youssouf, was elected as the Chairperson of the continental body.
These are some of the details about Selma Haddadi who will be the deputy chairperson of the AUC for the next four years.
1. Algeria’s ambassador to Ethiopia
Selma Haddadi was the serving ambassador of Algeria to Ethiopia when she vied for the position of Deputy chairperson of the African Union Commission.
Haddadi, a career diplomat, squared it out alongside five other candidates for the position during the voting in Addis Ababa on Saturday, February 15, 2025.
Among the candidates who battled it out with Haddadi before she emerged victorious in the race include fellow Algerian Salah Francis, Mohamed Fathi and Hanan Morsy of Egypt, Najat Elhajjaji of Libya and Latifa Akharbach of Morocco.
2. Elected in the 6th round
Hadaddi was elected after six rounds of voting in Addis Ababa Ethiopia. His boss Mahmoud Youssouf was elected in the seventh round after flopping in the initial rounds only to floor Kenya’s candidate Raila Odinga in the latter stages of voting.
In a communication from the AU, Haddadi was congratulated as the Pan-African parliament observed that they were confident in her abilities.
“We wish to express our sincere congratulations to Her Excellency, Ambassador Selma Malika Haddadi, the Government and the people of the Republic of Algeria, on her election as Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission on Saturday 15th February 2025,” the statement read in part.
“The election of Her Excellency, Ambassador Haddadi, after six rounds of a tightly contested vote demonstrated the maturation of democracy on the continent and the confidence that African leaders have in her able leadership.”
3. AUC operations
As the deputy chairperson of the AUC, Haddadi will be tasked with the daily management of the operations of the African Union Commission including the recruitment and allocation of resources to the various wings of the commission.
The chairperson will, however, be the main face of the commission, representing the region’s interests in various meetings and responsible for the entire leadership of the continental body.
4. Career diplomat
Haddadi is a career diplomat who at the time of her election to be the deputy of the AUC was based in Addis Ababa. Before that, she served in various capacities as the deputy head of the Algerian embassies in both Pretoria and Juba, South Sudan.
5. Algeria’s ambassador to Kenya
Before her reappointment to other embassies, Haddadi was the ambassador of Algeria to Kenya from March 2021 to October 2023. She has also been the Permanent Representative to UNON, UNEP and UN-Habitat.
Author
Arnold Ngure
General reporter with a bias for crime reporting, human interest stories and tech.
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