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The European Union (EU) has extended its congratulations to Angola's President, João Lourenço, for his recent election as the new Chairperson of the African Union (AU).
He was elected to this position during the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, which took place in Addis Ababa from February 15 to 16, 2025.
The EU expressed its congratulations to President Lourenço in a message shared on the European External Action Service’s (EEAS) X account, @eu_eeas.e. Additionally, the EU commended Mahmoud Youssouf, the newly elected Chairperson of the African Union Commission, along with his deputy, Selma Haddadi.
In the announcement, the EU highlighted that 2025 marks the 25th anniversary of the partnership between the EU and Africa. "Africa is a geo-political priority for the EU, and we will persist in our robust political dialogue and initiatives," stated the EU in the message.
Youssouf, from Djibouti, will be assisted by Haddadi from Algeria. Both have a mandate of four years, which can be renewed once. They were elected and officially sworn in during the same session in Addis Ababa.
Both selected leaders achieved the necessary two-thirds majority from the 49 AU member states eligible to vote, noting that six member states were under sanctions and thus unable to participate in the voting process. The 60-year-old Youssouf succeeds former chairperson Moussa Mahamat of Chad, who served two consecutive terms starting in 2017.
