The African Union Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) has agreed the Eastern Africa region should produce the next Chairperson of the African Union Commission in the February 2025 elections.
The decision was made on Friday during the 22nd Extraordinary Session of the Executive Council of the AU and follows the Statute of the AU Commission, the Rules of Procedure of the African Union policy organs, and the decisions of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government.
Below are recommendations which will be incorporated in the Draft Decision to be presented to the Executive Council:
1.) Inter-regional rotation: The PRC agreed on Approach 2 option (b), which means that Eastern Africa region will be eligible to nominate candidates for the position of chairperson while the Northern Africa region will be eligible to nominate candidates for the position of Deputy Chairperson;
2.) Intra-regional rotation: intra-regional rotation should be based on regional consultations and not on the English alphabetical order;
3.) Rotational Gender parity: The PRC agreed on the non-application of gender rotation in the application of the principle of rotational gender parity. The PRC position aligns with Kenya’s interpretation of this principle. Thus, both Eastern and Northern Africa regions are at liberty to nominate candidates of either gender for the posts of Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson respectively in the 2025 African Union Commission election;
4.) Allocation of Commissioner’s Portfolios: The six (6) Commissioner posts will be open for competition by candidates nominated by the three remaining regions (Central, Southern, and Western Africa regions).
“This is a major breakthrough for the Eastern Africa region to present candidates for the position of Chairperson of the AUC,” Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi said.
Mudavadi, who actively lobbied for the adoption of the decision during the session, said the decision aligns with what Kenya has been pushing for.
