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The African Union needs a major overhaul to address the continent’s biggest challenges as the US steps away from Africa, analysts told Semafor.
Over the weekend, the body of 55 member states will elect a new chair of its commission to succeed Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chad’s former prime minister, during a summit in Addis Ababa. Vying for the top role are former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Madagascar’s ex-Finance Minister Richard Randriamandrato, and former Djiboutian Foreign Affairs Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf.
The dismantling of USAID presents an opportunity for the AU to strengthen its regional role on everything from health care to agriculture and trade. Mavis Owusu-Gyamfi, president of the African Center for Economic Transformation think tank in Ghana, said the AU Commission will need to “develop a strong position in the G20,” which the bloc joined in 2023, “especially as the US leaves a vacuum of leadership.”
Read on for why the AU elections matter. →
