| Chairperson of the African Union | |
|---|---|
 | |
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| Style | Excellency |
| Abbreviation | CPAU |
| Appointer | the Assembly |
| Term length | One year |
| Constituting instrument | Constitutive Act of the AU (article 6) |
| Precursor | Chairperson of the OAU |
| Formation | 9 July 2002 |
| First holder | Thabo Mbeki |
| Deputy | Bureau |
| Website | au |
The Chairperson of the African Union is the ceremonial head of the African Union (AU) elected by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government for a one-year term.[1] It rotates among the continent's five regions.
A candidate must be selected by consensus or at least two-thirds majority vote by member states. The chairperson is expected to complete the term without interruption; hence countries with impending elections may be ineligible.[2]
The current Chairperson is Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani. Both Angola and Botswana are seeking the post in 2025;[3] and the Republic of the Congo in 2026.[4]
- ^ "African Union Handbook" (PDF). African Union. 2014. p. 15.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
ghanawas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Luanda seeks to outmanoeuvre Botswana in race for 2025 AU presidency". Africa Intelligence. 20 October 2023. Archived from the original on 2023-10-20. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
- ^ "Sassou-Nguesso aims for AU presidency in 2026". Africa Intelligence. 6 March 2024. Archived from the original on 2024-03-06. Retrieved 10 April 2024.