President Mohammed Ghazouni of Mauritania has been elected as the new chairman of the African Union (AU) for 2024.
The decision was made during the 37th Ordinary Session of the African Union Heads of State and Government, currently taking place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The leadership of the AU was passed from President Azali Assoumani of the Union of Comoros to President Ghazouani. This transition is thought to ease tensions surrounding the one-year rotating of AU chairmanship.
A long-standing dispute between Morocco and Algeria had prevented succession plans, even as the AU strive to amplify its voice on the international stage.
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The need to settle disputes over the leadership of the union gained traction in preceding weeks as the continent prepares for 19 general elections 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.”
The AU is also expected to discuss the shift from dependency on foreign donors to reliance on African states for funding during its summit.
A resolution to fund AU-led peace missions was approved by the UN Security Council in December, but it was limited to seventy-five percent of the budget.
