Three top candidates, three similar visions for Africa but different strategies, all vying for the position of Chairperson of the African Union. From Raila Amolo ODINGA of Kenya to Djibouti’s Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and Madagascar’s Richard Randriamandrato, one will have to succeed the outgoing president Moussa Faki Mahamat from Central Africa. Election is billed for February 2025.
During this year’s Mjadala Afrika leadership debate, three African politicians vying for leadership of the African Union outlined their vision for enhancing regional security amid ongoing conflicts and political upheavals on Friday.
Answering moderators and diverse stakeholders present on a stage transmitted in a live broadcast to African citizens, they also emphasized the importance of boosting inter-African trade, among other critical issues.
The top candidates for the chairperson of the 55-member body are; Raila Amolo Odinga from Kenya, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf from Djibouti, and Richard Randriamandrato from Madagascar. With all men this means that the next deputy chairperson will be a woman from one of the nations of East Africa.
The candidates engaged in a two-hour discussion in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where they collectively pushed for the establishment of two permanent seats for African nations on the U.N. Security Council, arguing that this would ensure better representation for a continent with the youngest demographic.
Odinga asserted that securing two permanent seats with veto power is essential for Africa, deeming it a matter of fairness given the continent’s more than 50 nations emphasising the urgency for a united Africa. Randriamandrato on his part called on member states to unite and present a cohesive front in selecting Africa’s representatives for the UNSC. Youssouf highlighted that enhancing regional security could be achieved by increasing resources for a standby force, thereby reducing dependence on foreign aid.
The trio aims to win over the majority of African nations ahead of the February election to replace Moussa Faki Mahamat, the current African Union Chairperson, who has completed two terms.
Amid numerous challenges, from political to security to economic to climate change, who ever wins in the election slated for 2025 will have to reignite credibility in the African Union in championing for the Africa we want.
