By John Ikani
President of Senegal, Macky Sall on Saturday took over the rotating African Union (AU) chairmanship at the opening of the 35th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly at the AU headquarters in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa.
Sall replaces Felix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Senegalese President was endorsed for the position by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which was lined up to produce the next AU Chairperson.
Sall’s tenure will mark the fourth time a Senegalese leader will be running the AU after Léopold Sédar Senghor (1980) and Abdou Diouf (1985 and 1992).
He will serve in the capacity for the 2022-2023 period.
In his handing over speech, Tshisekedi highlighted some of the achievements under his chairmanship of the Union notably, the economic empowerment of the women and youths, the enhancement of democracy and good governance, among other development programs under Agenda 2063.
He wished the new AU Chairperson, a successful Chairmanship and thanked the Heads of States of AU Member States as well as the AU outgoing bureau, for their support during the tenure of his mandate which he said, was marked by the prevailing sanitary crisis caused by the COVID19 pandemic.
In his acceptance speech, Sall said Africa is facing big challenges with regard to the increasing unconstitutional change of government and the coronavirus pandemic that has hit the continent’s health service and economies hard.
“We still face many and urgent challenges related to peace and security, the fight against terrorism, the unconstitutional change of government, protection of the environment, health, economic and social development,” he said.
“We cannot take our face away from all these lives that are lost — the bereaved family, the millions of displaced persons or refugees, the schools and health facilities that are closed and disintegrated social cohesion,” he said.
It is worthwhile to note that Sall’s assumption of the AU chairperson position comes amid political challenges in the West African region.
President Sall, in his new position, will be expected to play a big role in finding a solution towards the political upheavals in West Africa notably the wave of coups sweeping through the region.
He is also faced with the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic which continues to ravage the continent two years on.
