Djibouti's Candidate Mahmoud Youssouf Beats Raila to Win AUC Chairperson Seat

The Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union has elected Djibouti's Mahmoud Youssouf as the African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson.  

Mahmoud was vying against Kenya's Raila Odinga and Richard Randiamandrato of Madagascar.

The winner made it to the seventh round after edging over his competition in the second and fifth rounds.

Mahmoud garnered 33 votes to be declared the winner of the election.

The winner, Djibouti's long-serving Foreign Affairs Minister, will succeed Chad's former prime minister Moussa Faki.

The final results were realised after intense rounds of secret balloting at the Nelson Mandela Hall in Addis Ababa.

In round one of the vote, Raila won with 20 votes, against Mahmoud's 18 votes, and Randiamandrato's 10.

In the second round, Raila garnered 22 votes, against Mahmoud's 19 and 7 for the Madagascar candidate.

In round three, the Djibouti candidate edged over Raila with 23 votes. Raila got 20 votes.

Madagascar's candidate got five votes and was eliminated in this stage.

In round four, Mahmoud garnered 25 votes, against Raila's 21.

The vote proceeded to round five, where the Djibouti candidate widened the gap; Mahmoud got 26 votes, with Raila amassing 21.

In round six, Mahmoud garnered 26 votes against Raila's 22.

The outcome was clear in the seventh round, where Djibouti's minister secured 33 votes to be declared the winner of the election.

Mahmoud is now charged with steering the AU Secretariat to realise the continental organization's Agenda 2063.

It is stipulated in the agenda that by 2063, an average African should be properly educated, have a sustainable income, have access to quality healthcare, and be food secure.