President of Comoros has assumed AU chairmanship

The Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) has elected President Azali Assoumani, of the Union of Comoros, as the new Chairperson of the African Union for the year 2023.

President Assoumani was elected on Saturday, February 18 during the official opening of the 36th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union, at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The President of Comoros takes over the baton of command from President Macky Sall of Senegal, who has concluded his one-year term a statement made available to the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) in Tema stated.

The composition of the new bureau of the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union for 2023 are: Chairperson of the African Union – President Azali Assoumani, of Comoros representing the East African region.

Consultations are still ongoing for the selection of the first Vice Chair from the Northern Region; the second Vice Chair from Botswana, to represent the Southern Region; the third Vice Chair from Burundi to represent the Central Region, while the Rapporteur is from Senegal to represent West African region.

President Sall in a farewell message commended the new AU Chairperson for assuming the office and wished him a successful Chairmanship.

He also thanked the Heads of State of AU Member States as well as the AU outgoing bureau, for their support during the tenure of his mandate which was marked by the prevailing sanitary crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

President Sall highlighted some notable achievements under his leadership as the economic empowerment of women and youths; and the enhancement of democracy and good governance, among other development programmes under Agenda 2063.

He also thanked the AU Commission Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat for his leadership and support, including all the members of the Commission.

“Serving our continent has been a privilege and a great pride, because I believe in a united Africa, an Africa standing up, an Africa at work, an Africa in peace and confident in its future,” he said.

President Sall added that “at the front of the fight for Africa, everywhere, for everything and all the time; because it is the responsibility conferred on us by the heritage of the pan-Africanism, to realize the dream of the Founding Fathers and the aspirations of our peoples”.

In his acceptance speech, President Assoumani described his election as an honour coupled with the responsibility and the trust invested in his person, and the members of the new Bureau, to lead the destiny of the Organization for the next one year.

“I thank you and assure you of our commitment to work together with all member countries in the exercise of our mandate. I pay tribute to the founding fathers of the Organization.

“Six decades later, their luminous vision continues to inspire our living together and to illuminate our united march towards the ideal of African integration,” he added.

President Assoumani stated, “it is with great emotion by entrusting in Comoros for the first time in its history, the destinies of our continental Organization.

“By allowing Comoros to lead the African continent, our Organization has just proved to the world its conviction that all countries have the same rights and enjoy the same freedoms”.

He said as current AU President it is with the weight of the continental responsibility on my shoulders, that I intend to assume, the functions in this 36th Ordinary Session.

“It will not be easy to succeed the out-going AU President, but I will do my best to continue his work and, among other things, by favouring as he has always been able to do, dialogue, listening, and gathering, essential conditions to make this mandate, that of the success of our Continent” Concluded the newly elected Chair of the Union.