Mahmoud Ali Youssouf: As AUC chair, this is my promise to the African people

Faced with three challengers from Kenya’s former PM Raila Odinga, former Mauritius Foreign Minister Anil Kumarsingh, and former Foreign Minister of Madagascar, Djibouti’s topmost diplomat vows to center the continent at the core of global development.

From his early years, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, 58, has been a Djiboutian governmental servant. However, he contends that, should he be chosen the next Chairperson of the African Union Commission, experience has given him something to help Africa.

Now the highest diplomat in his nation, he wants Africa to have a “radiant future,” able to battle issues including climate change, poverty, and continuous conflicts bedevilling the continent, thereby positioning the continent at the center of global transition.

But he also understands that reform is desperately needed for the continental body. Seeing the AU not as an elite entity but rather as one guiding the continent to the promised land, his vows have varied from committing top responsible leadership and accountability and leading the bloc with a focus on inclusive participation.

Three other possibilities are Mr Youssouf, the current Minister of Foreign Affairs of Djibouti; former prime minister Raila Odinga from Kenya; former Foreign Minister Anil Kumarsingh Gayan from Mauritius; former Foreign Minister Richard James Randriamanto from Madagascar.

This week he chatted with The EastAfrican about his campaign approach, his ideas for the African Union, and his goal to boost peace and security, so fostering economic growth and reducing climate change.