The Chairperson of the African Union Commission is the head of the African Union Commission (AUC). They are the Chief Executive Officer, legal representative of the African Union (AU), and the Commission’s Chief Accounting Officer. They are elected for a four-year term, renewable once, by the Assembly of the African Union.
The position was preceded by the Secretary General of the OAU, and the role became more powerful upon the formation of the AU. The Chairperson is responsible for the Commission's finances and administration, promoting its objectives, dealing with key stakeholders (member states, development partners, regional blocs etc.), appointing and managing Commission staff, and storing AU and OAU treaties and legal instruments. It had an equivalent role titled the Secretary General of the Organisation of African Unity, however the position had weaker powers and was largely ceremonial.
In 2002 the OAU evolved into the African Union (AU) in a push for more regional integration, with the role of the Secretary General replaced with the Chairperson of the Commission, which was tasked with implementing the AU's vision.
Role
The Commission Chairperson is the Chief Executive Officer, legal representative of the African Union (AU), and the Commission’s Chief Accounting Officer. The chairperson is responsible for the Commission's finances and administration, promoting its objectives, dealing with key stakeholders (member states, development partners, regional blocs etc.), appointing and managing Commission staff, and storing AU and OAU treaties and legal instruments.
|align=center |13 March 2025
|align=center |Incumbent
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|East Africa
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See also
- Chairperson of the African Union