In February 2025, the African Union (AU) will elect its next Commission Chairperson. This is no routine transition—it is a test of Africa’s resolve. Will this be a turning point, or just another missed opportunity?
The continent stands at a crossroads. War rages in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Sahel is under siege from extremism. Somalia, Libya, and the Central African Republic remain fragile. Coups are back. Economic hardship is driving millions into despair. Meanwhile, global priorities are shifting. Africa can no longer afford to wait for the world’s sympathy—it must command the world’s respect.
This election is not about a title. It is about a vision. It is about leadership that does not just occupy a seat at the AU but wields its power with purpose. It is about an Africa that no longer whispers in global affairs but speaks with the full force of its 1.4 billion people.
A Continent in Crisis Cannot Afford Silence
For decades, Africa has been treated as a collection of problems to be solved rather than a force to be reckoned with. That perception will only change when Africa itself refuses to be defined by crisis.
Security is more than the absence of war. It is good governance. It is institutions that serve people, not elites. It is economies that create jobs, not instability. When young Africans see no future at home, they risk their lives crossing the Mediterranean. That is not migration—it is desperation. And desperation is the mother of conflict.
The next AU Chairperson must champion security not just through military interventions but by tackling its root causes: unemployment, poor governance, and economic exclusion. A leader who cannot connect these dots is unfit to lead Africa into the future.
One Africa, One Voice, or No Future at All
Africa’s greatest weakness is its division. Fifty-five nations, too often speaking in fifty-five different voices. That must end.
The AU was granted a permanent seat at the G20—an opportunity to shape the global agenda. But a seat at the table means little if Africa cannot agree on what to say. Trade negotiations, climate financing, technological investments—these are the battles being fought on the world stage. The question is whether Africa will be a silent participant or a powerful force in these discussions.
No country in Africa, no matter how rich in resources, will stand strong alone. The future belongs to continents that act as blocs, not nations that act as islands. The European Union understood this decades ago. So did ASEAN. Africa must now do the same.
The Stakes: A Generation That Will Not Wait
Africa is the youngest continent in the world. Over 60% of its population is under 25. They are ambitious. They are restless. And they are watching.
This is a generation that will not tolerate empty rhetoric. They do not want promises—they want jobs. They do not want speeches—they want opportunities. They are building businesses, launching innovations, rewriting the rules. But they cannot do it alone.
If the AU does not champion a continental strategy for job creation, for digital transformation, for industrialization, then we are condemning millions to a future without dignity. And when dignity is lost, so too is peace.
A leader who does not understand that job creation is a security issue, a stability issue, and a survival issue has no business leading the AU.
Food Security: Africa Must Feed Itself
Africa has the land, the climate, and the workforce to feed itself. Yet it remains dependent on food imports while millions go hungry. This is not just an economic failure—it is a failure of vision.
Climate change is making traditional farming methods obsolete. Droughts are destroying harvests. Conflicts are displacing farmers. Yet solutions exist. Africa must invest in modern agricultural technology. It must build supply chains that work for Africans, not foreign markets. It must create policies that empower farmers, not burden them.
A continent that cannot feed itself is a continent that cannot be sovereign.
Climate Change: Africa’s Fight, Africa’s Future
Africa contributes the least to global carbon emissions but suffers the most from climate change. Droughts, floods, rising temperatures—they are not future threats, they are present realities.
The world owes Africa a climate debt. But Africa must not wait for handouts. It must demand investment in renewable energy, in green industries, in climate resilience. This is not about charity. This is about justice.
The next AU Chairperson must push for climate policies that protect Africa’s future while creating jobs in industries that will define the 21st century. Africa should not just be adapting to climate change—it should be leading the fight against it.
Revitalizing the AU: A Call to Action
The AU has been too slow, too bureaucratic, too hesitant. That must end. Africa needs an AU that is agile, responsive, and unapologetically bold.
This means reform. It means cutting inefficiencies, holding member states accountable, ensuring that decisions lead to action. The AU must become an institution that Africans trust—not one they ignore.
The next Chairperson must not simply inherit an institution. They must rebuild it.
A Moment That Cannot Be Wasted
This election is not about choosing a leader. It is about choosing a future. The AU must decide whether it will remain a passive institution or become the engine of Africa’s rise.
The world is watching. More importantly, Africans are watching.
The time for hesitation is over. The time for action is now.
Africa must rise. And it must rise together.
