President William Ruto has lauded the outgoing African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson Moussa Faki for his exemplary leadership over the past eight years. The two leaders met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Thursday, ahead of the AUC chairmanship elections scheduled for Saturday.
Ruto took to social media to express his admiration for Faki’s tenure, describing it as a period of remarkable progress for the AU. “Met African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Congratulated him for his sterling role at the Commission in the past eight years. Wished him success in his future endeavours,” Ruto stated on X (formerly Twitter).
During his time at the helm, Faki played a crucial role in strengthening the AU’s influence, positioning it as a strong advocate for the interests of its member states. Under his leadership, the Commission worked towards resolving key political, economic, and security challenges across the continent.
Ruto reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to the AU and expressed his desire to push for further institutional reforms. “The African Union has increasingly become a strong voice for the continent and Member States. We will continue revamping our organisation to make it fit-for-purpose to effectively deal with political, economic, and security challenges,” he stated.
Faki, who served two terms as AUC Chairperson, expressed deep emotions as he prepared to hand over his seat. While addressing the AU Executive Council, he acknowledged the significance of his time in office and confirmed that he would step down as scheduled. “I will have fulfilled my term and will not remain even a day longer,” he remarked.
The AU Executive Council’s two-day meeting, which Faki officially opened, provided an opportunity for the election of six new AUC commissioners. The elections will determine commissioners responsible for Agriculture, Economic Development, Education, Infrastructure and Energy, Political Affairs, Peace and Security, and Health. Each commissioner will serve a four-year term, renewable once.
As the AU prepares to elect its next leader, three candidates are vying for the position: Kenya’s Raila Odinga, Djibouti’s Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, and Madagascar’s Richard Randriamandrato. With the election slated for Saturday, African leaders are keen to see who will take over from Faki and steer the continental body through the next phase of its development.
Faki’s departure marks the end of an era at the AU, and his leadership will be remembered for reinforcing the Commission’s role in advocating for Africa’s unity and progress.
