Nhlanhla Mahlangu

They addressed African citizens as they presented their visions and ideas on the implementation of Agenda 2063.

The debate sought to provide an opportunity to outline their vision of how they would lead the transformation of Africa through the implementation of the AU Mandate and Africa's Agenda 2063.

It was hosted ahead of the election of the next AU Commission Chairperson in 2025 during the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the AU, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The African's leadership debate, known as Mjadala Africa, is a platform for candidates vying for the position of the Chairperson of the AU Commission to address African citizens in a televised debate.

The objective of the debate was to focus on policy issues and solutions- oriented engagement on how each candidate intends to advance the realisation of the aspirations and goals of agenda 2063, as well as demonstrate innovative ways to move the continent towards an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa.

The debate engaged and discussed issues on how the candidates envision the future of the continent, and the role of the AU. Speaking through an interpreter, Foreign Affairs Minister of Djibouti, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf says if elected, he will work to defend the interests of the continent.

“If I will be elected as the Chair of the AU Commission, I will be up to your aspirations and I will defend the interest of our continent. And I will work diligently to defend our continent and with the full modesty, I think that I deserve it,” Youssouf said.

The Chairperson and all other elected officials of the AU Commission, including the Deputy Chairperson and the Commissioners, are elected for a period of four terms, renewable once.

The mandate of the current AU Commission leadership comes to an end during the next summit of the AU in February 2025, when the election of the new team to lead the Commission for the next four years will take place.

Prior to this election the Mjadala Africa debate is organised to give an opportunity to the candidates to present their vision and strategies for the next four years if elected.

Former Prime Minister of Kenya Raila Odinga says if elected, he will push for the reforms of the AU.

“One of these reforms will be financial reforms so that we are able to bring in the African private sector into the funding. I mentioned also the issue of sovereign funds, that you can use. We can create a fund that will enable AU to do it not only it's mandate work. Then there's issue of. 0.2% of the duty which only 17 countries are remitting. I will work to ensure that all the countries pay their dues to the Union. This is what happens in the European Union (EU) and that's why EU is ever deemed fund the AU. It’s a shame. We can be able to fund this organisation out of our own resources on the continent, and this is what I'm going to try to do. And I said that I am ready on day one. When I'm appointed, I will not need any kind of induction. I'm ready to work for the continent,” Odinga said.

Speaking through an interpreter, former Foreign Affairs Minister of Madagascar Richard Randriamandrato says if elected, he will work towards resolving conflicts peacefully.

“Silencing the guns and issues relating to peace and security in general actually are due to so many things. It's not like turning on the switch or switching it off, not on and off switch. No. There are several factors that have to be taken into consideration and that is the reason why the African continent and the AU have been challenged to silence the guns. But, we have to resolve our conflicts peacefully, and this is one of the principles of the AU, just like the principle of non-interference, this is an aspect that we all have to actually look at. When exactly do we talk about non-interference, non-indifference? And how do we use them to silence the guns? But that is the situation in which we find ourselves. And if I am chosen by the Heads of States and government as Chairperson of the Commission, I will make sure that the AU Commission would actually work towards resolving our conflicts peacefully, because we have that in the Constitutive Act of the AU.

The first time Mjadala Africa debate was held in December 2016, as an outcome of the AU institutional reforms that advance, amongst other key issues, accountability and citizens engagements.

Five candidates participated in that debate.

--ChannelAfrica--