Mahmoud Ali Youssouf emerged victorious in the AUC election

Djibouti’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, has emerged victorious in the African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson elections after an intense seven-round voting process.

Youssouf secured the chairmanship after obtaining the required two-thirds majority, clinching 33 votes from AU member states in the final round. His victory follows a highly competitive race that initially saw Kenya’s former Prime Minister Raila Odinga take an early lead.

The elections, held at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, began with Odinga securing 20 votes in the first round, while Youssouf garnered 18. Madagascar’s Richard Randria mandrato received 10 votes, with one abstention recorded.

The second round saw Odinga extend his lead with 22 votes, while Youssouf secured 19. Randriamandrato’s numbers fell to 7, keeping him in third place. However, in a dramatic third-round shift, Youssouf overtook Odinga with 23 votes, while the Kenyan candidate trailed with 20. Randria mandrato, who garnered only 5 votes, was subsequently eliminated.Youssouf Gains Momentum.

By the fourth round, Youssouf extended his lead with 25 votes, while Odinga maintained 21. One vote was declared spoilt, and two abstentions were recorded. The Djiboutian candidate further solidified his position in the fifth round, garnering 26 votes against Odinga’s 21, with two abstentions.

In the sixth round, Youssouf maintained 26 votes, while Odinga increased his tally to 22. However, with the Kenyan candidate failing to secure a majority, he was eliminated, paving the way for Youssouf to advance unopposed in the final round, where he secured the decisive 33 votes.

Kenya’s Second AUC Election Loss in Eight Years

This defeat marks Kenya’s second loss in the AUC elections within eight years. In 2017, Chad’s Moussa Faki Mahamat defeated Kenya’s then-candidate, Amina Mohamed, despite an extensive diplomatic campaign. Kenya’s bid was notably undermined by a lack of support from neighboring countries, including Uganda, Djibouti, and Burundi.With Youssouf now at the helm of the African Union Commission, his leadership is expected to shape the continent’s diplomatic and economic agenda over the next four years.