Top three candidates vying for AU chair

The upcoming election for a new chairman of the African Union will take place this weekend, with three candidates competing for the position to represent the diverse population of the continent amid various challenges. Here is a brief overview of the contenders:

– Djibouti: Mahamoud Ali Youssouf –
Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, a 59-year-old seasoned diplomat, has served as Djibouti’s foreign minister since 2005. Despite being seen as an underdog, his proficiency in French, English, and Arabic, along with his understanding of AU structures, has garnered positive feedback from observers.

– Kenya: Raila Odinga –
Raila Odinga, an 80-year-old prominent opposition figure in Kenya, has a complex political history marked by fights for democracy during President Daniel Arap Moi’s authoritarian regime. Odinga aims to secure the chairmanship for Kenya and believes his extensive experience will bring influence to the role.

– Madagascar: Richard Randriamandrato –
Richard Randriamandrato, aged 55, previously held positions as Madagascar’s economy and finance minister and briefly served as the foreign minister in 2022. He was dismissed for diverging from Madagascar’s neutral stance on the Ukraine conflict. Randriamandrato has a background with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).