Mahmoud Ali Youssouf: This is my pledge to the people of Africa as AUC chair

Now his country’s topmost diplomat, he promises to place the continent at the heart of global transformation and wants Africa to have a “radiant future,” able to fight things such as climate change, poverty and endless wars bedevilling the region.

But even he recognises that the continental body is in a dire need of reform. His promises have ranged from committing top responsible leadership and accountability and leading the bloc with an eye on inclusive participation, seeing the AU not as an elitist body but one that guides the continent to the promised land.

Mr Youssouf, the current Minister for Foreign Affairs of Djibouti faces three other contenders, including Kenya’s former prime minister Raila Odinga, former Mauritian Foreign minister Anil Kumarsingh Gayan, and Richard James Randriamandrato, former Foreign minister of Madagascar.

He spoke to The EastAfrican this week, where he discussed his campaign strategy, his plan for the African Union and the vision to improve peace and security, stimulate economic development and mitigate climate change.

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Why are you contesting the African Union Chairperson’s seat?

First, I came to Nairobi carrying a message from my President, Omar Ismael Guelleh, to President William Ruto. I had an opportunity to hand over that message to the Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, about my candidature for the position of the African Union Commission Chairperson.

Read: All-men cast in AUC job contest

What is my motivation?

I have been Foreign Minister for the past two decades. So, I can say I have accumulated enough experience in multilateral diplomacy to be eligible for that kind of position. This is the number one motivation. The second element in my desire to reach that post is that this is Eastern Africa’s turn to assume that responsibility and Djibouti as the small but stable country is also the headquarters of Igad and, in this capacity, my government has been involved in all the mediation processes in the region.

We have been very proactive and very dynamic in trying to resolve the Sudanese crisis. We are trying to also reduce tension between Somalia and Ethiopia because of the MoU signed in January with Somaliland.

We are following closely the Tumaini Process that is being conducted by Kenya for South Sudan. We all know now that the elections will be postponed in South Sudan. The situation in South Sudan has to be followed very closely. So, when you put together the personal ambition that I have with the role that my country plays in the region, I think we can now reasonably say that we are ready to assume that responsibility.

What is your plan for Africa if you get this position?

I am not going there as a general but as a secretary. I am not going to reinvent the wheel. Let’s go back a little on the reforms at the African Union, starting with the leadership of President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, now with President Ruto, who is the champion of the reforms at the African Union. If I am elected, I will have to work with President William Ruto, that is why I chose Nairobi for my first trip to advocate my candidature.

Read: AUC top seat contenders face age-old problems

What kind of leadership do I seek to bring to the commission? We need to change the methodology upon which the union -- the commission at least --has been working. We have noticed that there is a lack of efficiency and effectiveness. We have seen that the relationship between the chairperson of the commission and the commissioners is not coherent. We feel that there are changes to be introduced in the way the chairperson and the commissioners work together. There is the reform that has already been put to paper but needs to be implemented, for the staff of the African Union.

The African Union used to rely on short-term contract personnel. This has to change. So you need to create an institutional memory for the African Union. If you bring someone who works for the union for six months and leaves, and bring another for six months, the failure that comes is first from the memory of the institution. Reforms of the commission have to be implemented.

That will be the role of President Ruto as the champion of the reforms and, if I am elected, I will be his righthand man to implement those reforms.

We have seen reports about bad governance at the union, what is your first priority if you get into that office?

The main failure resides in the auditing services. If you have a good internal auditing service, all kinds of misconduct can be stopped and good governance can be introduced.

Second, accountability is something very important. The chairperson of the commission has to be in a position to fire someone who is found in a position of misconduct or whatsoever. So, I mean, the power for the chairperson of the commission has to be strengthened. We need accountability, we need the staff to understand that the commission works on the basis of rules and regulations ad whoever fails to abide by these rules has to pay the consequences.

Sometimes in the union, the staff consider themselves as the representatives of their countries and feel untouchable. That has to stop and I am here to introduce that leadership so that everyone feels accountable for their deeds.

Read: AU officially opens Commission posts race

Some leaders have suggested the AU should be given more powers to represent the continent abroad, say, in negotiating trade deals. What is your take on this issue?

This is one of the flagship goals of the union. Which means that the union should be represented in all those arenas internationally, equally with other organisations. Now we have joined the G20. It is not enough. We need to have a very strong representation at the boards of financial institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank. We need to be respected as a continent by all those parties. This is one of the roles that I will have to shoulder, so that the position of the African continent in these international arenas is visible and respected.

The African union set itself a very ambitious vision, Agenda 2063. But some of the goals, such as silencing the guns, have been missed. How do you put the continent back on track?

Resolution of conflicts is one of the setbacks of the continent. We have some of the best policies when it comes to implementing that architecture. But, unfortunately, the mechanisms we have are not working properly. Of course, the policy organs are doing their best. We have the AU Peace and Security Council, the Executive Council, the Assembly… but when it comes to putting decisions to action, we lack, for instance, the Standby Force, not only to go and resolve the crises when they occur, but prevent them.

The Early Warning Mechanism is not working. Even the African Peer Review Mechanism does exist, but needs decision-making processes that are implementable.

Our programme for silencing the guns was supposed to have been attained by end of 2020 and we had to extend its lifespan until 2030. So, there is lots of work to do on the security front, because countries barely implement the decisions that are made at the highest level. Some countries, individually, such as Kenya and Djibouti, have been active in trying to contain situations on Somalia, DRC, South Sudan and Sudan, for example. But we need better organisation continentally. At regional level, we can do our best.

The regional economic communities also have that role of facilitating the processes of conflict resolution. Those regional organisations are also not playing their proper role successfully.

Implementing decisions needs money. Critics of the AU say that makes it susceptible to external interference. What do you think?

Money is not the most important element in the equation. The most important element is the policy we put in place and the way we implement it -- the methodology. Now, we have a Peace Fund. There is $400 million in that fund today. What are we doing with that money? We could have used it to resolve a number of crises, at least create a conducive environment with that money, to reach some security and peace goals in some regions. But the money is there and we don’t use it. We don’t have that excuse that we don’t have money.

So, in the equation for peace and stability and silencing the guns, money is important, but is not the most important element.

These continental contests, including this one for the chairperson, sometimes create adversarial engagements. How do you plan to bring those who don’t vote for you to your side?

I promised my brother Musalia Mudavadi when I met him that I will never conduct a dirty campaign. It is not in our tradition. Number two, I am very confident on my comparative advantages. So, I don’t think I need that kind of misbehaviour when it comes to this election. Competition is good for the continent and the other candidates are able people with experience, and I think that the continent will choose the best. I hope that will be the number one criteria: Who is the best to lead the Commission for the best interest of the continent.

What would you say is your best talent the continent should expect?

I see myself as a bridge between the North and the South, the East and the West. I have a double culture of the Arab world and African nations. I speak several languages, and I think that I can be that link that Africa needs to be more cohesive. Africa should look at me as the bridge they need.