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Ethiopia
Abiy lobbies hard to secure AU education portfolio for his protégée

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“African Union: the battle of the giants”

Africa

African Union: the battle of the giants

The pan-African intergovernmental organisation headquartered in Addis Ababa has increasingly become a political arena where the continent's heavyweights South Africa, Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Nigeria jostle for power. In order to impose their views and place representatives in key positions in the African Union and other international organisations, these nations compete for influence and build coalitions. On the sidelines of these strategic manoeuvres, a few smaller countries such as Rwanda are carving out a niche for themselves. [...]

Hirut Woldemariam, Ethiopian candidate for the post of African Union Commissioner for Education, supported by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. © Abiy Ahmed Ali/Twitter

With the virtual summit of African Union heads of state scheduled for 6 and 7 February, the Ethiopian prime minister is working hard to bag a commissioner post for one of his loyal allies. [...]

Published on 22/01/2021 at 06:00 GMT Reading time 2 minutes

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Diplomacy

Read this article in our running story

“African Union: the battle of the giants”

Africa

African Union: the battle of the giants

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Abiy Ahmed public figure
African Union organisation
Arkebe Oqubay public figure
Moussa Faki Mahamat public figure
PricewaterhouseCoopers organisation
Tedros Adhanom public figure
Tigray People's Liberation Front organisation
Hirut Woldemariam
Li Yong
Molapo Qhobela
National Research Foundation
United Nations Industrial Development Organization
World Health Organization

Spotlight | Africa
Abiy muzzles any AU discussion of Tigray

Ethiopia has carefully orchestrated pressure within the African Union so that the organisation never gets involved in its host country's affairs.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 19.07.2021

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed at the 33rd African Union summit in Addis Ababa in February 2020.

Africa
African Union: battle for last commissioners' posts goes into extra time

The heavyweight tactics used by Nigeria to obtain the key post of commissioner for peace and security have blocked the process of filling the last remaining seats on the African Union Commission

Subscribers only Diplomacy 09.02.2021

Africa
Nigeria twists ECOWAS' arm to get its African Union commissioner candidate elected

On the eve of the elections that will determine who runs the African Union for the next four years, Nigeria and Rwanda are expected to secure key roles.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 05.02.2021

Inner circles | Ethiopia
Abiy Ahmed Ali's parallel government

The prime minister has over the last three years restricted political decision-making to an increasingly narrow circle of loyal followers. His office is now the core of Ethiopian power, leaving government ministers out in the cold.

Subscribers only Politics 29.01.2021

Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen (left) and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali.

Ghana
Akufo-Addo pulls out all the stops to secure AU number two job for Ghana

With Ghana looking set to lose two of its most strategically important posts at the UN and the African Union in 2021, Akufo-Addo is redoubling his efforts to get Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee appointed as deputy chair of the AU Commission.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 28.01.2021

Ethiopia
Abiy surrounds himself with Tigray figures as crisis rages on

While still waging war against the TPLF, the Ethiopian prime minister has gathered round prominent figures of the Tigray people to assert his authority over the region.

Subscribers only Politics 14.01.2021

Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali.

Ethiopia
Abiy advisor eyes senior UN post

An advisor to occupants of the prime minister's office for over two decades, Arkebe Oqubay is vying for the top job at a UN agency. He is being supported by the Abiy administration, despite being a member of the TPLF.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 04.01.2021

Algeria, Morocco
African Union: Algiers aims to return to the Political Affairs, Peace and Security Department by the back door

Algeria wants to ensure it remains present in the African Union's key department, as Smaïl Chergui prepares to end his term as peace and security commissioner. Meanwhile, Morocco's efforts to obtain representation on the African Commission, which were spearheaded by intelligence chief Yassine Mansouri, have flopped.

Free access Diplomacy 15.10.2020

Algeria
Why Tebboune presented no candidates for the African Union Commission

As applications for commissioners' posts continue to be scrutinised at African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Algeria, which has been one of the long-standing pillars of the pan-African organisation, is completely out of the running.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 14.10.2020

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.

Africa
African Union commissioner shortlist emerges

The panel led by the former PM of Cameroon has completed its shortlist of candidates for the next African Union Commission line-up.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 09.10.2020

In Focus | Africa
Former Cameroonian prime minister Philémon Yang leads the AU's oh-so difficult search for new commissioners

Although Moussa Faki looks certain to be re-elected as chairperson of the African Union Commission, his deputy and six commissioners have still to be found among the 90 applicants for the different posts.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 21.09.2020

Member States have submitted more than 90 candidates for vacant posts on the African Union Commission.

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Abiy Ahmed public figure
African Union organisation
Arkebe Oqubay public figure
Moussa Faki Mahamat public figure
PricewaterhouseCoopers organisation
Tedros Adhanom public figure
Tigray People's Liberation Front organisation
Hirut Woldemariam
Li Yong
Molapo Qhobela
National Research Foundation
United Nations Industrial Development Organization
World Health Organization

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Ethiopia
Abiy lobbies hard to secure AU education portfolio for his protégée

African Union: the battle of the giants

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African Union: the battle of the giants

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Spotlight | Africa
Abiy muzzles any AU discussion of Tigray

Africa
African Union: battle for last commissioners' posts goes into extra time

Africa
Nigeria twists ECOWAS' arm to get its African Union commissioner candidate elected

Inner circles | Ethiopia
Abiy Ahmed Ali's parallel government

Ghana
Akufo-Addo pulls out all the stops to secure AU number two job for Ghana

Ethiopia
Abiy surrounds himself with Tigray figures as crisis rages on

Ethiopia
Abiy advisor eyes senior UN post

Algeria, Morocco
African Union: Algiers aims to return to the Political Affairs, Peace and Security Department by the back door

Algeria
Why Tebboune presented no candidates for the African Union Commission

Africa
African Union commissioner shortlist emerges

In Focus | Africa
Former Cameroonian prime minister Philémon Yang leads the AU's oh-so difficult search for new commissioners

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Ethiopia Abiy lobbies hard to secure AU education portfolio for his protégée

African Union: the battle of the giants

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African Union: the battle of the giants

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Spotlight | Africa Abiy muzzles any AU discussion of Tigray

Africa African Union: battle for last commissioners' posts goes into extra time

Africa Nigeria twists ECOWAS' arm to get its African Union commissioner candidate elected

Inner circles | Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed Ali's parallel government

Ghana Akufo-Addo pulls out all the stops to secure AU number two job for Ghana

Ethiopia Abiy surrounds himself with Tigray figures as crisis rages on

Ethiopia Abiy advisor eyes senior UN post

Algeria, Morocco African Union: Algiers aims to return to the Political Affairs, Peace and Security Department by the back door

Algeria Why Tebboune presented no candidates for the African Union Commission

Africa African Union commissioner shortlist emerges

In Focus | Africa Former Cameroonian prime minister Philémon Yang leads the AU's oh-so difficult search for new commissioners

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About Africa Intelligence

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Africa Intelligence on social media

Indigo Publications' websites

DRC
Washington deal: intricacies behind Tshisekedi's poker move

Namibia
Namibia oil utopia hangs on TotalEnergies' final investment decision

Ethiopia
Abiy lobbies hard to secure AU education portfolio for his protégée

Spotlight | Africa
Abiy muzzles any AU discussion of Tigray

Africa
African Union: battle for last commissioners' posts goes into extra time

Africa
Nigeria twists ECOWAS' arm to get its African Union commissioner candidate elected

Inner circles | Ethiopia
Abiy Ahmed Ali's parallel government

Ghana
Akufo-Addo pulls out all the stops to secure AU number two job for Ghana

Ethiopia
Abiy surrounds himself with Tigray figures as crisis rages on

Ethiopia
Abiy advisor eyes senior UN post

Algeria, Morocco
African Union: Algiers aims to return to the Political Affairs, Peace and Security Department by the back door

Algeria
Why Tebboune presented no candidates for the African Union Commission

Africa
African Union commissioner shortlist emerges

In Focus | Africa
Former Cameroonian prime minister Philémon Yang leads the AU's oh-so difficult search for new commissioners