African Union to Host Annual Leadership Election Summit
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Synopsis
The African Union will convene its annual summit from February 12 to 16, focusing on the election of senior AU Commission leadership, under the theme of justice and reparations for Africans.
Key Takeaways
- African Union's annual summit scheduled for February 12-16.
- Key focus on electing senior leadership for AU Commission.
- Theme for 2025: Justice for Africans through reparations.
- Executive Council and assembly of heads of state will meet.
- Three candidates vying for AUC chairperson position.
Addis Ababa, Jan 15 (NationPress) The African Union (AU) announced that its annual summit is scheduled to take place from February 12 to 16, emphasizing the election of senior leaders for the AU Commission (AUC) as a key agenda item for the gathering.
In a statement made public on Tuesday, the AU revealed that the summit will focus on the theme for 2025, "Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations," and will be hosted at its headquarters located in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia, as reported by Xinhua.
During this summit, the AU Executive Council, which includes foreign ministers from AU member states, will convene from February 12 to 13, followed by the assembly of African heads of state and government on February 15 to 16, according to the announcement.
The AU indicated that the elections for the AUC senior leadership, which includes the next AUC chairperson for the term 2025-2028, will occur during both the Executive Council and assembly sessions.
All eight senior leadership roles in the AUC are available for candidates, adhering to the regional distribution of responsibilities. These positions consist of the AUC chairperson, deputy chairperson, and six commissioner roles.
Recently, three contenders for the AUC chairperson position—including Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, the Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister of Djibouti, Raila Odinga, the former Prime Minister of Kenya, and Richard Randriamandrato, the former Foreign Affairs Minister of Madagascar—laid out their plans to further the union's goals for a cohesive, united, and thriving Africa.
In a live televised debate, they shared their visions and strategies for executing Agenda 2063, the AU's 50-year development plan designed to realize a prosperous, united, and peaceful Africa.
In a concept note regarding its theme for 2025, the AU emphasized that reparations, including reparatory justice for historical injustices and mass atrocities against Africans and people of African descent, have been integral to the comprehensive decolonization process since the establishment of the Organisation of African Unity, now the AU, in 1963.
The AU noted that over the past 30 years, it has made numerous decisions and backed initiatives aimed at advancing justice and advocating for reparations for Africans, including the restitution of cultural artifacts and heritage taken during the periods of colonization and enslavement.
