On Saturday, the Heads of State and Government of the African Union unanimously elected Mohamed Ghazouani, the President of Mauritania, as the new chairman of the union for the year 2024.
His election took place within the framework of the ongoing 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union Heads of State and Government, currently being held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
President Azali Assoumani of the Union of Comoros, who served as the AU Chairperson for 2023, passes on the leadership baton to Ghazouani as he takes up the role.
By adeptly managing tensions, the bloc prevented a crisis concerning the one-year rotating AU chairmanship, ensuring a seamless transfer from Comoros President Azali Assoumani to Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani on Saturday.
The succession had long been blocked by a dispute between Morocco and Algeria, highlighting internal divisions within the AU even as it seeks to have a stronger voice on the global stage, including in the G20 grouping which it joined in September.
Portending more challenges, 19 presidential or general elections are scheduled on the continent this year.
“The AU has ambitious institutional commitments and tools for mediation and peacekeeping but lacks the political and financial strength to make the most of them,” the International Crisis Group said in a briefing note.
“Member states are looking inward, closely protecting their sovereign prerogatives rather than investing in collective security.”
Another major subject of discussion at the summit is expected to be how the AU will transition to relying on African states to fund most of its budget rather than foreign donors.
The UN Security Council, in December, passed a resolution to provide funding for AU-led peace missions, with a stipulation that the financing would be limited to 75 percent of the budget.