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Mahamoud Ali Youssouf

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Mahamoud Ali Youssouf
Macamuud Qali Yuusuf
Maxamuud Cali Yuusuf
محمود علي يوسف
Youssouf in 2013
5th Chairperson of the African Union Commission
Assuming office
March 2025
SucceedingMoussa Faki
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Assumed office
22 May 2005
PresidentIsmaïl Omar Guelleh
Preceded byAli Abdi Farah
Personal details
Born (1965-09-02) 2 September 1965 (age 59)
Djibouti City, Djibouti
Political partyPeople's Rally for Progress
Alma materLumière University Lyon 2
Websitewww.may-ua2025.dj

Mahamoud Ali Youssouf (Afar: Macamuud Qali Yuusuf; Somali: Maxamuud Cali Yuusuf; Arabic: محمود علي يوسف; born 2 September 1965) is a Djiboutian diplomat and the Chairperson-elect of the African Union Commission.[1] He is the longest-serving Djiboutian Foreign Minister, having served since 2005.[2]

In April 2024, he was nominated by Djibouti for the position of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission. On 15 February 2025, he won the election in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, after seven rounds of voting.[3][4]

Early life and education

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Mahamoud Ali Youssouf was born on 2 September 1965 in Djibouti City. He received his basic education in Djibouti.[5]

Yousouf's further educational journey took him to the United Kingdom, France, and Canada.[6] He studied business management at the University of Liverpool and obtained his master's degree in management in 1990.[7] He wrote his thesis at the Free University of Brussels in the 1990s.[5]

Diplomatic career

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Youssuf meeting with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in 2015

Youssouf worked at Djibouti's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and headed its Arab affairs department during the 1990s. He served as Ambassador to Egypt from 1997 to 2001.[8]

Youssouf was appointed as Minister-Delegate for International Cooperation on 4 July 2001.[9][10] He was subsequently appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on 22 May 2005.[11] In 2006, he visited Japan.[12]

In 2008, Youssouf served as Chairman of the 129th Ordinary Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Arab League.[13]

Youssouf has played important roles in international diplomacy, especially in the Horn of Africa.[7] Speaking to The New York Times in 2008, Youssouf said that although Djibouti was a small country, it had a sizable port and hoped to develop its economy along the same lines as Dubai. He highlighted the country's strategic location, which he asserted was better positioned than Dubai.[14]

Chairperson of African Union

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Djibouti nominated Youssouf as their candidate for the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) in April 2024.[15] Youssouf considered peace and security his top priority.[16] In the AUC chair candidates debate, Youssouf stated that African countries should lead the way in dealing with security issues and should stop depending on other nations. He also criticised the Peace and Security Council for not being proactive enough, and noted that the African Standby Forces were rarely utilised due to funding issues.[7] He was endorsed by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.[6]

On 15 February 2025, Youssouf was elected as the Chairperson of the African Union, succeeding Chadian Moussa Faki. The election, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, was decided by member states of the African Union after seven rounds of voting, in which he defeated the favourite, Kenya's Raila Odinga, and Madagascar's Richard Randriamandrato.[17] Youssouf received congratulatory messages from the UN Secretary-General António Guterres and from across the continent.[18][19]

Personal life

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Youssouf is fluent in Afar, English, French, Arabic, and Somali.[2]

He is said to have a close relationship with Djibouti President Ismaël Omar Guelleh.[20]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Djibouti's Foreign Minister Mahmoud Youssouf beats Raila to win AUC chair race".
  2. ^ a b "Mahmoud Ali Youssouf: outsider elected to head African Union commission". France 24. 15 February 2025. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  3. ^ "Djibouti's Foreign Minister Mahmoud Youssouf beats Raila to win AUC chair race".
  4. ^ "African leaders elect Djibouti's foreign minister as new leader of the African Union Commission". Associated Press. 15 February 2025. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  5. ^ a b "Mahamoud Ali Youssouf: Profile of Djibouti Candidate Who Beat Raila in AUC Race". MSN.
  6. ^ a b "Profile of Djibouti's Mahamoud Ali Youssouf facing off with Raila for AUC Chairperson | Pulselive Kenya". www.pulselive.co.ke. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  7. ^ a b c Marita, Bosco (15 February 2025). "Who is new AUC Chair Mahamoud Ali Youssouf?". The Star. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  8. ^ "Mahamoud Ali Youssouf", Indian Ocean Newsletter, number 1,136, Africa Intelligence, 28 May 2005.
  9. ^ "Le gouvernement de Djibouti formé le 4 juillet 2001" Archived 3 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Afrique Express, number 232, 16 July 2001 (in French).
  10. ^ List of members of the government of 4 July 2001, presse-francophone.org (2002 archive page) (in French).
  11. ^ "Décret n°2005-0069/PRE portant nomination des membres du Gouvernement"[permanent dead link], Journal Officiel de la République de Djibouti, 22 May 2005 (in French).
  12. ^ "MOFA: Press Conference by The Press Secretary of MOFA". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. 6 June 2006.
  13. ^ "Djibouti assure la présidence du Conseil de la Ligue des Etats Arabes", ADI, 9 March 2008 (in French).
  14. ^ Jeffrey Gettleman, "Location Gives Tiny State Prime Access to Big Riches", The New York Times, 30 May 2008.
  15. ^ Peters, Moritus (14 January 2025). "Meet the 3 candidates competing for African Union chairperson in 2025". Businessday NG. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  16. ^ "Djibouti's Foreign Minister Youssouf elected to head African Union". France 24. 15 February 2025. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  17. ^ Njihia, Samuel (15 February 2025). "Mahmoud Ali Youssouf wins AUC chairmanship". Nairobi Law Monthly. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  18. ^ "Africa 'brimming with hope and possibility': Guterres | UN News". news.un.org. 15 February 2025. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
  19. ^ "Focus on Africa - African Union members elect new leader - BBC Sounds". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  20. ^ "Mahamoud Ali Youssouf élu président de la Commission de l'Union africaine" (in French). 15 February 2025. Retrieved 16 February 2025.