Raila Odinga, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, and Richard Randriamandrato Compete for AU Leadership

The African Union Commission (AUC) leadership race has intensified as candidates Raila Odinga (Kenya), Mahmoud Ali Youssouf (Djibouti), and Richard Randriamandrato (Madagascar) presented their visions in a historic debate at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Odinga emphasized Africa’s need for two permanent UN Security Council seats, intra-African trade, and self-reliance in peace funding. Youssouf pledged to strengthen Africa’s peace and security by reducing reliance on foreign powers. He also vowed to foster unity across cultural divides. Randriamandrato, meanwhile, focused on unlocking Africa’s economic potential through trade liberalization and empowering regional economic blocs. Analysts see Youssouf and Odinga as frontrunners, citing Youssouf’s multilingualism and cultural alignment as key advantages. However, the lack of female candidates drew criticism, highlighting the AU’s need to prioritize gender representation in leadership. The winner must secure a two-thirds majority among the AU’s 55 member states, making regional alliances crucial.

SOURCE: DW