The African Union (AU) has called for the submission of candidates by member states from the Central Region for two vacant commissioner positions.

Au in a statement issued on Saturday, February 22, 2025, announced that it was seeking fill the positions of African Union Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry, and Minerals (ETTIM), and African Union Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation (ESTI).

The nominations, AU says, must be submitted by the Regional Dean to the African Union Office of the Legal Counsel, hand-delivered in sealed envelopes before or on March 7, 2025.

“Call for submission of candidates by Member States from the Central Region for the positions of: 1)African Union Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry, and Minerals (ETTIM). 2)African Union Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation (ESTI). The nominations must be submitted by the Regional Dean to the African Union Office of the Legal Counsel -hand delivered in sealed envelopes before or on 7th March 2025 1700 hours EAT.,” the statement read.

𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧 for the positions of:
1. African Union 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞, 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐦,… pic.twitter.com/63yUWXfCjL

— African Union (@_AfricanUnion) February 22, 2025

Election postponed

AU postponed the election of commissioners for the above positions during the February 15, 2025, AUC vote, allowing the incumbent commissioners, namely Amb. Albert Muchanga and Prof. Mohammed Belhocine, respectively, to continue to serve in their current positions until the elections are conducted.

AUC leadership

During the AUC vote, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, the Djibouti foreign affairs minister, was elected as the new African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson in a hotly contested race that took seven rounds for a winner to be determined.

Mahmoud won the contest after Kenya’s candidate, Raila Odinga, dropped off in the sixth round after garnering fewer votes, but since none of them had attained the required two-thirds majority vote of the 49 eligible African Union (AU) member states, the vote had to go to the seventh round.

Selma Malika Haddadi of Algeria was elected to deputize Mahmoud, and their mandates are for four years, renewable once.

Bankole Adeoye from Nigeria was re-elected to head the Political Affairs, Peace, and Security (PAPS) department.

In March 2021, he became the first commissioner to lead the amalgamated political affairs, peace, and security portfolios, which had hitherto been two separate departments.

Moses Vilakati from Eswatini was elected to head the Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (ARBE) department.

He has served as a minister in Eswatini in both the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs and the Ministry of Agriculture.

Lerato Mataboge (South Africa) was elected as the Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy (I&E) department.

Mataboge is a global policy and trade and investment facilitation expert and is currently the Deputy Director-General in the South African Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition. Prior to this role, she founded and was CEO of Trade Invest Africa.

Amb. Amma Twum-Amoah (Ghana) was elected as Commissioner for the Health, Humanitarian Affairs, and Social Development (HHS) department.

She is the former ambassador of the Republic of Ghana to Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, and South Sudan and the permanent representative to the African Union.