The next chairman of the African Union Commission (AUC) will come from the Eastern Africa region, the African Union Executive Council has decided.
In a statement on Friday, March 15, 2025, the executive said the region will be the only one submitting candidates for the position.
“The African Union Executive Council today unanimously adopted a critical decision that it is the turn of the Eastern Africa region to submit candidates for the position of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC). The elections will be held in February 2025,” the statement read in part.
So far, two candidates from the region have registered interest in the seat, including Kenya’s opposition leader Raila Odinga and Somalia’s former Foreign Affairs Minister Fawzia Adam.
“This is a major breakthrough for the Eastern Africa region to present candidates for the position of Chairperson of the AUC,” Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi said.
Mudavadi, who actively lobbied for the adoption of the decision during the 22nd Extraordinary Session of the Executive Council of the AU, said the decision aligns with what Kenya has been pushing for.
“The decision is in accordance with the Statute of the AU Commission, the Rules of Procedure of the African Union policy organs and the decisions of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government,” the statement added.
Immediately after the decision, Mudavadi announced that there would be no technical and legal issues barring the former Prime Minister from contesting for the seat.
“It is now clear that the Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga will be in the race for the AU Commission Chairperson. Effectively, there are no more technical or legal hurdles preventing Kenya from submitting its candidate,” Mudavadi added.
The decision also provides that the Northern Africa region will front candidates for the Deputy Chairperson while the other three regions, Central, Southern and Western, will compete for the six positions of commissioners.
Mudavadi said Kenya will work closely within the 14 member-state Eastern Africa region to build consensus around its candidate.
“These efforts are ongoing and will continue, to include all the other regions to ensure that the opportunity for electing effective leadership of the AUC provides a platform for uniting the entire continent,” the statement added.
AUC chairmanship
The campaign to replace the current AUC chair Moussa Faki is set to officially begin once all interested candidates submit their applications by May this year.
Suitable candidates are required to have a Master’s degree in a wide range of academic fields including Law, International Relations, Economics, Diplomacy, Management, Business Administration, Political Science, Social Sciences or a closely related field from a recognised institution.
According to the AU, a PhD in Law, International Relations, Diplomacy, Management, Business Administration, Political Science, Social Sciences or a closely related field from a recognized institution is an added advantage.
The AUC chair is elected on a four-year term renewable once and serves as the Chief Executive Officer, Legal Representative of the Union and the Accounting Officer of the Union.
Raila declared his candidacy for the position on February 15, 2024, as he seeks to replace the incumbent, Moussa Faki.
Raila said he was the right candidate for the AU Commission chairmanship due to his experience in leadership.
“Today, I want to make it public that I am ready to go for the chairmanship of the Africa Union. I am ready and offer myself to be of service to this African content when called upon. I believe that Africa is playing in a league that it should not play in and that it deserves better,” Raila said on February 15, 2024.
