The newly elected chairperson, deputy chairperson and commissioners of the African Union (AU) have assumed office, following the handover ceremony that saw the outgoing leadership passing the baton to the incoming leadership, APA can report on Friday.
The Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson were elected and sworn-in at the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government on 15 February 2025.
Four of the six commissioners were sworn-in at the handover ceremony following their election and appointment at the 46th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council on 12 February 2025.
Mahmoud Ali Youssouf Chairperson of the AU Commission pledged his commitment to addressing institutional challenges and positioning Africa in the global architecture.
“Africa must take its destiny into its own hands. It’s time to assert ourselves as a determined continent, capable of influencing major global decisions and proposing solutions to the crises that affect the continent, he stated
“I pledge today to act with determination to raise our Union to the level of our peoples’ expectations. We must breathe new life into our organization, strengthen our unity and assert Africa’s place in the concert of nations,” Youssouf said.
While outlining the priority areas, Youssouf underscored the urgency to accelerate the implementation of the Second Ten-Year Plan of Agenda 2063 to meet the expectations of the African population; to work towards the financial autonomy of the African Union to reduce dependence on external funding by exploring innovative financing mechanisms and to strengthen the collaboration between AU institutions; to fast track the implementation of institutional reforms to address administrative and structural blockages.
“We must be an agile player, capable of responding to emergencies and anticipating future challenges,” he added.
MG/as/APA