The 38th African Union (AU) Summit concluded in February 2025, paving the way for the newly elected leadership of the Commission to steer Africa’s peace and development trajectory for the next four years. African leaders elected Mahmoud Ali Youssouf (Djibouti) as Chairperson and Selma Malika Haddadi (Algeria) as Deputy Chairperson. Haddadi’s election marks a historic moment as the second woman in this role, underscoring the AU’s commitment to gender equality and representation in its leadership structures.
Three of six thematic portfolios saw new appointments: Moses Vilakati (Eswatini) for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (ARBE); Amma Twum-Amoah (Ghana) for Health, Humanitarian Affairs, and Social Development (HHS); and Lerato Mataboge (South Africa) for Infrastructure and Energy (IED). Bankole Adeoye (Nigeria) was re-elected for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security (PAPS). Elections for the remaining two portfolios – Economic Development, Tourism, Trade, Industry, Mining (ETTIM), and Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (ESTI) – were postponed to the upcoming 24th Extraordinary session of the Executive Council.
With this new leadership officially assuming office on 13 March, a critical question remains: will this leadership propel the AU Commission towards meaningful progress, or will it remain hindered by old obstacles?
New Leadership, Familiar Challenges
The new leadership inherits a complex dossier of challenges. From the protracted war in Sudan and the fragile peace in South Sudan, to the resurgent violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the volatile Sahel region, the continent grapples with high-profile conflicts needing urgent attention. These crises, alongside the ongoing struggles against Al-Shabaab in Somalia and the neglected Anglophone crisis in Cameroon, even as the country enters a crucial election year, underscore the AU’s struggles to maintain regional peace and security.
This complex security environment, marked by increasing threats and a rapidly evolving global landscape, has outpaced the AU’s current peace, security and governance architectures. The AU’s mediation efforts have been overshadowed by international players in Sudan as the war approaches its two-year mark, while the Luanda Process in the DRC has faltered and continues to be confronted by diplomatic paralysis. The Sahel’s instability is compounded by the Economic Community of West African States’ (ECOWAS’) internal challenges following the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. Meanwhile, the AU Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) faces funding uncertainties.
A critical test for Chairperson Youssouf will be in devising strategies for effectively countering the trend of growing conflicts. This will require reasserting the AU’s leadership in matters of conflict resolution. A key step includes shifting the AU’s relationships with Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to ensure a strategic balance under the principle of subsidiarity. Consolidating mediation efforts in the DRC under a single AU-led process will be vital in moving the needle towards resolution. Additionally, potentially appointing a Special Envoy for Sudan to centralise AU leadership in negotiating practical agreements for humanitarian access, a monitored ceasefire and a roadmap for a civilian-led government will be another step in the right direction.
Finally Implementing AU Reforms?
Driving action on AU institutional reforms forward is also crucial for the new leadership. Since 2018, the initiative has yielded some notable achievements, including the appointment of a new management team, a reduction in the number of AU Commission departments, increased emphasis on gender and regional representation, the introduction of a merit-based recruitment system, and skills audits across departments. An important area of success is the movement toward self-reliance in funding of peace and security initiatives, seen in the growth of the Peace Fund, which has recently surpassed its $400 million target.
Despite progress, the reform agenda faces persistent challenges. Member state resistance, limited manoeuvring space for the AU Commission Chairperson to address strategic issues, and funding constraints hinder implementation. Controversial measures, like reducing the number of AU summits and merging the Political Affairs and Peace and Security Departments, have sparked concerns that the reform process may have inadvertently weakened, rather than strengthened, the AU.
The 38th AU Summit reaffirmed the urgency of reform. African leaders directed the Commission to streamline summit agendas to three strategic items, and submit proposals for various PAPS reconfigurations, a detailed structure for a new Peace Support Operations Directorate, and an assessment of the Peace Fund’s endowment levels with recommendations to enhance its efficiency. A Heads of State oversight committee, led by Kenya, also announced a July 2025 special summit offering a rare opportunity to concretise these reform priorities beyond rhetoric.
In the interim, addressing the Commission’s capacity and staffing is crucial to overcoming inefficiencies and structural weaknesses that could hinder the new leadership’s ability to effectively serve AU member states and 1.5 billion Africans. Financial autonomy also remains paramount. With only 25% of the budget funded by members and potential aid cuts looming, the Commission’s $210 million annual budget is insufficient. Youssouf and his team must forge new partnerships and engage Africa’s private sector to reduce reliance on politicised external funding.
Addressing the Commission’s capacity and staffing is crucial to overcoming inefficiencies and structural weaknesses that could hinder the new leadership’s ability to effectively serve AU member states and 1.5 billion Africans
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The AU’s Global Role
The newly elected AU Commission leadership steps in at a pivotal moment for Africa. With the AU’s growing global influence, evidenced by its G20 membership, the Commission must prioritise strengthening the AU’s influence as a powerful force for peace, development, and integration in Africa in the global order.
A key priority must be securing permanent representation for Africa on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), to reflect the evolving global landscape. Currently, despite making up nearly one-third of the UN’s total membership, with over 70 percent of UNSC resolutions addressing African issues, and 11 of the top 20 countries contributing to UN peacekeeping missions being African, the continent lacks a permanent seat. The AU Commission chairperson should aggressively pursue two permanent seats with veto power and five non-permanent seats, aligning with the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration. The current allocation of only three non-permanent UNSC seats is an injustice for Africa’s 1.5 billion people, and reflects the spirit of the AU theme of the year, “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations,” adopted at the 38th AU Summit.
The reparations agenda highlights the need for historical accountability and equity, addressing the legacies of colonialism and enslavement. Building on the previous Commission’s work, especially the establishment of the AU Coordination Team on Reparations (AU-CTR), instrumental in developing the operational and strategic framework for the reparations agenda, the new leadership should expedite reparation efforts. This includes, among others, establishing the Office of the AU Special Envoy on Reparations for Africans, a Global Reparations Fund based in Africa, and a transcontinental partnership framework between the AU, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Latin American states and the African diaspora, as outlined in the Accra Proclamation on Reparations. These initiatives are crucial for coordinating reparations activities and amplifying advocacy on the global stage.
The Road Ahead
Despite challenges, optimism prevails that the AU Commission, under Youssouf’s leadership, can deliver progress towards the “Africa We Want.” The Chairperson’s extensive diplomatic experience, demonstrated understanding of continental issues, as well as his pledge to fast-track reforms, step up action to prevent conflict and promote stability, strengthen ties between the Commission and RECs to promote social and economic security, and assert Africa’s influence in global governance are promising.
The Commission’s success depends on translating pledges into action. Only time will tell if this new leadership ushers in a prosperous and peaceful Africa, or simply perpetuates the status quo
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However, success hinges on the new leadership’s collective will, commitment and its ability to forge consensus among the AU’s 55 member states on critical issues. Deputy Chairperson Haddadi’s management-oriented background will be crucial for navigating administrative and operational complexities. It is incumbent upon the PAPS Commissioner to refine strategies for effectively achieving tangible peace and security outcomes for the continent, based on the lessons learned during his first term.
Ultimately, the Commission’s success depends on translating pledges into action. Only time will tell if this new leadership ushers in a prosperous and peaceful Africa, or simply perpetuates the status quo.
Hubert Kinkoh is a Senior Programme Officer, Sudan, at Conflict Dynamics International (CDI). The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not of CDI.
