New Leadership Hopefuls: Revitalizing African Unity and Trade

Three candidates are vying for the chairmanship of the African Union, focusing on regional security and increasing African representation in the UN Security Council. They discussed the importance of inter-Africa trade, regional unity, and addressing political conflicts during a debate in Addis Ababa.

On Friday, three leading candidates outlined their visions for the future of the African Union, focusing heavily on regional security amidst ongoing conflicts and political instability across the continent.

Aspiring chairpersons Raila Odinga of Kenya, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf of Djibouti, and Richard Randriamandrato of Madagascar emphasized the critical need for Africa to secure two permanent seats on the UN Security Council to better represent its vast and youthful population.

During a debate in Addis Ababa, they underlined the importance of fostering inter-African trade as a catalyst for economic transformation and committed to implementing key reforms within the African Union to realize its objectives if elected.

(With inputs from agencies.)