Chad Foreign Minister Moussa Faki has been elected as the next Africa Union Commission chairperson after beating four other candidates in a tightly contested election here.
He garnered 28 votes ahead of Kenya Foreign Minister Amina Mohamed who had 25 votes. Voting went into the 7th round where the two battled it out for the top post.
The remaining 3 candidates who incuded Sadc’s candidate and Botswana Foreign Minister Pelonomi Venson Moitoi fell by the wayside in earlier rounds.
Faki takes over from Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma who did not seek re-election after her four- year term came to a close.
The AU chairperson can serve two terms of four years each.
Mr Faki will be deputised by Ghana’s Ambassador Thomas Koresi Quartey.
The AU confirmed last night that Mr Faki had finally made it.
“Chadian Foreign Minister has been elected by African Union Heads of State and Government who form the assembly of the AU,” it said.
Sources here said Venson Moitoi lost in earlier rounds after she secured 10 votes out of a possible 54.
Equatorial Guinea’s Mba Mokuy and Abdoulaye Bathily from Senegal were the other candidates vying to lead the AU Commission.
Sources attending the closed door voting session said Mr Faki clinched the much-sought-after position because he had the backing of more regions compared to his counterparts.
The election of the AU Commission chairperson was one of the major issues that Heads of State and Government were seized with.
The exercise was postponed at the AU summit in Kigali Rwanda last July after the candidates failed to secure the requisite two thirds majority.
The 28th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the AU Heads of State and Government kicked off at the continental bloc’s headquarters in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa yesterday and ends today.
Elections for eight commissioners were still underway at the time of going to print.
Zimbabwe’s Dr Hesphina Rukato is angling for the Commissioner of Political Affairs post, while Dr Pride Chigwedere intends to head the Social Affairs brief.
The re-admission of Morroco was also expected to occupy a significant portion of the Assembly’s itinerary this evening. – State Media