The 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧 will submit candidates for the role of Chairperson

Mekelle፡1 June 2024 (Tigray Herald)

The 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧 will submit candidates for the role of Chairperson. The Chairperson of the African Union Commission is the Chief Executive Officer, Legal Representative of the Union and the Accounting Officer of the Union.

The Chairperson of the Commission is a transformative leadership role responsible for driving the performance of the AU Commission in delivering the continental vision of an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa.
African Union Commission Elections 2025

The vision of the African Union is that of “An integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena”. The involvement of African Citizens calls for the African Union to strive and live up to its ambition of being a people-centred Union through the participation of Member states in defining and implementing the African Agenda towards meeting the continental development goals espoused in our continental developmental framework of Agenda 2063.

African Union Commission Leadership Structure

The AUC Commission is composed of the Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson and Commissioners, plus staff (Constitutive Act, article 20; Commission Statutes, article 2). The Assembly elects the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson. The Executive Council elects the Commissioners, who are appointed by the Assembly. The Commission members’ terms are for four years, renewable once (Commission Statutes, article 10).

In November 2018 as part of Institutional Reforms, the Assembly of Heads of State and Government decided that, from 2021, the Commission shall be composed of eight members – the Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson and six Commissioners. The Assembly also decided to enhance the transparency and meritocracy of the Leadership selection process. The new process came into effect in January 2021.

Key selection principles shall include: equitable regional representation, gender parity, predictable rotation, attracting and retaining Africa’s top talent, accountable and effective leadership and management, and transparent and merit-based selection.

The Election of Senior Leadership of the African Union Commission in February 2025 will be held in accordance with decision of the Ministerial Executive Council, which states that Rotation by Partial Restriction: Controlling the role of Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson based on a predictable inter-regional rotation following the English alphabetical order, and open competition for the portfolios of commissioners. Accordingly, for the February 2025 elections, the process will be based on:

1. The principle of inter-regional rotation, the Eastern region shall submit candidates for the role of Chairperson and the Northern region shall submit candidates for the role of Deputy Chairperson, with both regions to submit female and male candidates.
2. The remaining three regions (Central, Southern, and Western regions) shall be eligible to submit at least two candidates (one female and one male) for the six portfolios of Commissioners.
3. Each region will determine its own procedure for nominating candidates for the portfolios for which it is eligible.

A Panel of Eminent Africans

A Panel of Eminent Africans, composed of five (5) personalities, one per region, will oversee the pre-selection of candidatures for the senior leadership of the Commission. The Panel of Eminent Africans shall be technically assisted by an

independent African consultancy firm. The Panel develops job profiles and competency requirements for the senior leadership of the Commission. This includes generic leadership skills and competencies as well as expert and thematic skills in relation to specific portfolios. The assessment process for all candidates is based on the skills and competencies identified for each senior leadership position.

Members of the Panel of Eminent Africans are:

1. Prof. Paul Ngarambe, Male, Burundi, representing the Central Region.
2. H.E Amb. Konjit SineGiorgis, female, Ethiopia, representing the Eastern Region.
3. H.E Amb. Nozipho Joyce Mxakato-Diseko, female, South Africa, representing the Southern Region.
4. H.E Amb. Patrick Hayford, male, Ghana, representing the Western Region.

The nominee from the Northern Region will be included in the Panel upon the conclusion of regional consultations and the submission of the nominee.

Mjadala Afrika, Africa’s Leadership Debate

In 2017, the first ever Africa Leadership Debate dubbed MjadalaAfrika was held as a platform for candidates vying for the position of the Chairperson of the AUC to address African citizens in an environment that encouraged dialogue and understanding of the Role and its responsibilities. The debate provided candidates an opportunity to outline their vision of how they would lead the transformation of Africa through the implementation of the AU Mandate and Africa’s Agenda 2063. The debate also allowed African citizens and other stakeholders to put forward questions to the candidates on issues they wanted to be addressed in order to propel the continent’s growth and ensure Africa achieves its goals for integrated and sustainable development and becoming a major player in the Global Arena.

Following the success of this initial debate and in line with the institutional reforms of the African Union, in November 2018, the Assembly adopted a Decision to enhance the transparency and meritocracy of the selection of the leadership of the AU Commission, in conformity with the institutional Reforms of the African Union in November 2018. The Decision stated, inter alia, that candidates under consideration for appointed to the leadership positions within the AUC would:

1. Provide a curriculum vitae, along with vision statements outlining how they intend to address the most pressing issues facing the AU; and
2. All candidates for the position of the Chairperson of the Commission shall participate in a televised debate which shall be broadcasted live to African citizens in which they shall present their visions and ideas on the implementation of Agenda 2063.

Details about the debate venue and dates will be communicated in due course.

Call for Application by Interested Candidates

AU Commission through the Office of Legal Counsel dispatched Note Verbales to the Regional Deans and copied all the Member States as follows:

• A Note Verbale for the Eastern Region, pertaining to the role of Chairperson of the Commission.

• A Note Verbale for the Northern Region, concerning the role of Deputy Chairperson.

• A Note Verbale for the remaining 6 Commissioners’ positions, covering the Central, Southern, and Western regions. Eligible (Not under Sanction) Member States will submit candidates through the relevant Regional Deans. The regional nominations shall be received by the Commission (Office of the Legal Counsel) hand delivered in sealed envelopes on or before 6 August 2024, 1700hrs (5pm) Addis Ababa Time. For information purpose and as dispatched to Member States, the job descriptions and Curriculum vitae template for these Senior Leadership positions can be viewed below.