Chadian Foreign Minister Hon. Moussa Faki Mahamat. PHOTO/COURTESY
By SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
newsdesk@reporter.co.ke
Chadian Foreign Minister Hon. Moussa Faki Mahamat has been elected incoming Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission by AU heads of State and Government, who form the Assembly of the African Union.
Ghana’s Ambassador Thomas Kwesi Quartey was elected Deputy Chairperson. Elections for the eight Commissioner posts are ongoing.
Foreign Minister Amina Mohammed lost in the AU Commission election chair. President Uhuru Kenyatta said Amina’s participation in the race marked the re-emergence of Kenyan the pan-African project.
“Kenya is grateful for the strong campaign she ran,which put pan-African themes of self-reliance, sovereignty, of openness to trade at it’s very heart,” he said.

Kenya’s Foreign Minister Amina Mohammed. PHOTO/COURTESY
Amina lost to Chad’s Foreign minister Moussa Faki Mahamat who Mr Kenyatta congratulated for becoming the new AU Commission chair.
“After seven rounds of voting, His excellency Moussa Faki Mahammat of chad has been elected Chair of the African Union Commission. Kenya congratulates him on a race well won,” he added.
Mahamat won with 38 votes while Amina garnered 26 votes in the hotly contested elections which were held during the 28th AU summit held on Monday, January 30 at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Mahamat will now take over the outgoing chair, South Africa’s Dlamini Zuma.