Presidency of the African Union: less than twenty days before the 37th summit, there is still an impasse

This is a first in African memory! Less than twenty days before the 37th summit of heads of state of the African Union, scheduled for February 17 and 18 in Addis Ababa, the organization does not know the name of the person who will chair it in 2024. Africa of the North, whose turn it was, having not managed to decide between themselves until now. There remains the solution of the representative of Southern Africa, scheduled for next year, and who, according to tradition, advances in turn in the event of withdrawal of the one in front of him, which has not yet been done.

A general view of the opening session of the 36th ordinary session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU) at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa on February 18, 2023 (illustrative image). AFP - TONY KARUMBA

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“

 This is an unprecedented situation

 ,” points out an African diplomat, speaking anonymously, before exclaiming, “

 no one can say, three weeks before the summit of heads of state, who will succeed Azali Assouni, no one! 

". The reason ? the impossibility for North Africa, which was to hold the rotating presidency between regions of the African organization, to agree on a candidate to be placed at the head of the

AU

. “ 

The choice had to be made between Algeria and Morocco 

,” explains this diplomatic source, but “ 

neither of the two states wanted to give in to the other because of their execrable relations

. »

After nearly a year of impasse, several heads of state approached Mauritania. But Nouakchott politely declined, officially because of the presidential election scheduled for June 2024. “ 

President Mohamed Ould Ghazoua actually wanted to avoid offending his two powerful neighbors

 ,” explains a former diplomat from this country.

All eyes are on Luanda

Unless Mauritania changes its mind between now and the summit - which is not impossible - all eyes are on the Angolan João Lourenço who must take the helm of the organization in 2025 in the name of Southern Africa. But, for the moment, Luanda is pushing back: “ 

We were not consulted 

,” soberly comments a high-ranking Angolan diplomat, for whom the issue is not current. The end of this suspense is expected during the meeting of heads of African diplomacy on February 14 and 15 in Addis Ababa.

Read alsoImbroglio around the future presidency of the African Union

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