Faki says goodbye ahead of Saturday AUC election

Outgoing Africa Union Commission (AUC) chairperson Moussa Faki bid farewell Wednesday ahead of the highly-anticipated election for his new successor.

The election to be contested by three candidates is slated for Saturday during the 38th Ordinary Session of the heads of state and government.

It will be held at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa.

Faki who is exiting after concluding his two-term tenure admitted that his emotions were overwhelming as he prepares to hand over the seat.

"I will have fulfilled my term and will not remain even a day longer,” he told the African Union (AU) Executive Council.

The Commission's chairperson and members serve for four years, renewable once.

Foreign Affairs Ministers from the AU member states are converging in the country for the 46th Ordinary Session as a preparatory meeting.

Djibouti’s Mahmoud Ali Youssouf who will be battling it out with Kenya’s Raila Odinga and Madagascar’s Richard Randriamandrato arrived in the country Tuesday.

He was part of the attendees at the meeting by virtue of his position as the Foreign Minister. Kenya is represented by Musalia Mudavadi.

Faki officially opened the two-day meeting that will also serve as an opportunity for the ministers to elect six AUC commissioners for Agriculture, Economic Development, Education, Infrastructure and Energy, Political Affairs, Peace and Security and Health.

During the meeting, the ministers observed a moment of silence in memory of Namibia’s founding President, the late Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma.

Nujoma, the last of the continent's founding fathers, was a revolutionary, anti-apartheid activist and politician who served three terms as the first president of Namibia, from 1990 to 2005.

He died on February 8, 2025.

UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Claver Gatete who spoke at the meeting held under the theme of "Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations” commended Faki for his exemplary leadership.