The Djiboutian presidency’s spokesman has said that Djibouti’s Mahmoud Ali Youssouf was elected Saturday as the chairman of the African Union’s executive commission.
In a post on social media, Djibouti’s economy and finance minister, Ilyas Dawaleh, said Youssouf had “won” the election.
“We won, we have secured the most votes, and we won,” spokesman Alexis Mohamed said.
He said Mahmoud Ali Youssouf won 33 votes, beating veteran opposition Kenyan politician Raila Odinga to succeed Chad’s Moussa Faki Mahamat for a four-year term.
The 59-year-old career diplomat has been foreign minister of Djibouti since 2005, as the tiny Horn of Africa nation remains strategically located for Western powers.
He was previously Djibouti’s ambassador to Egypt and has also served as foreign minister in the governments of three presidents.
He speaks English, French and Arabic, and, though he is considered an outside contender, observers have praised his low-key campaign.
His knowledge of AU institutions is also considered an advantage, according to an International Crisis Group report.
In an interview with AFP in December, Youssouf had said there was a “governance problem” in some African nations, particularly those shaken by coups.
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