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Spotlight | Africa
Time's up: Nigeria set to end Algeria's lock on top African Union security post

The last African Union summit in February 2020. © Prime Minister Office/Zuma/Rea

Since the position of African Union commissioner for peace and security was created in 2003, it has been held by an Algerian. But now there's near-unanimous agreement that the job, with expanded responsibilities, should go to another African powerhouse: Nigeria. [...]

Published on 10/06/2020 at 05:00 GMT Reading time 2 minutes

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Politics

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African Union organisation
Bankole Adeoye public figure
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Abba Kyari
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Fatima Kyari Mohammed
Hadiza Mustapha
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Africa
The chairperson of the AU commission appoints his ambassadors

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African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf in Rome, 20 June 2025.

Guinea
ECOWAS mediator Thomas Boni Yayi returns to Conakry

Former Beninese president Thomas Boni Yayi, who is mediating in Guinea on behalf of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), will be in Conakry from 18 to 21 June.

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Nigeria
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Ekiti state governor Kayode Fayemi, in Lagos, Nigeria, 29 November 2021.

Spotlight | Chad, Nigeria
Buhari and Kingibe pursue their top-secret mediation efforts in N'Djamena

Under the watchful gaze of the Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari, his special envoy for the Lake Chad basin, Baba Gana Kingibe, is continuing to do his best to contain the instability in Chad, which could pose a threat to Nigeria's borders.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 03.12.2021

Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari, here during the 75th anniversary celebrations of UNESCO.

Africa
How Israel finally won observer status at AU despite SADC and North African opposition

The changing balance of power within the AU has allowed the Jewish state to make a decisive breakthrough. It now has the status of observer country at the Addis Ababa institution, much to the displeasure of several member states.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 31.08.2021

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat (R) and Aleli Admasu, Israel's ambassador to Ethiopia, Burundi and Chad.

Nigeria
SecPro and Composites Solutions to equip President Buhari's close security guards

The Nigerian presidency is not free of the threat posed by the deteriorating security situation in the country.

Subscribers only Defence, Business 30.08.2021

Africa
AU members huddle to draw up reduced 2022 spending plans

African ambassadors and other diplomats got together discreetly in a five-star hotel in Accra to draw up the AU's spending plans for next year.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 20.07.2021

Nigeria
Buhari casts around for new diplomatic advisor

The Nigerian president has entrusted his chief of staff with selecting his new international relations advisor to replace Yahaya Lawal, who has been posted as ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 13.05.2021

Africa
Too many caretakers: AU's new peace and security commissioner finds department in disarray

The African Union's Peace and Security Department is the bit of the bloc most coveted by the continent's major powers. But as Nigeria's newly installed commissioner, Bankole Adeoye, is finding out, it suffers from a surfeit of interim bosses.

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Nigeria
Buhari names diplomats for capitals of UN Security Council states

President Muhammadu Buhari has finally made public the names of the 95 ambassadors who will be in their postings until his mandate ends in 2023, with special attention paid to the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 08.02.2021

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

Nigeria, United Kingdom
Cobham Aviation takes centre stage in London-Abuja military cooperation

By training Nigerian Air Force helicopter crews, Cobham Aviation helps deliver the UK's military support to its African ally.

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Nigerian pilots trained by Cobham Aviation Services.

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

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

Guinea
Conakry close to becoming African Union's new mining HQ

Two years after having been chosen to be the home of the African Union's African Minerals Development Centre (AMDC) against competition from Botswana and Ghana, Guinea is preparing to finalise the project.

Subscribers only Mining 02.10.2020

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.

Africa, Luxembourg
Bamboo, the UN's low-profile Luxemburg fund manager

The UN is working with a Belgian financier operating in Luxembourg to manage its platform dedicated to the eradication of poverty in Africa.

Subscribers only Business 21.07.2020

Spotlight | Africa
Afreximbank chairman finances African medical platform of telecoms magnate Strive Masiyiwa

Contending with difficulties in Zimbabwe, Masiyiwa has been touting himself elsewhere as the continent's saviour in the face of the coronavirus pandemic with the help of his close friend and Afreximbank chairman, Benedict Oramah.

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Spotlight | Africa
African Union centre stage in Cairo-Abuja scuffle for top WTO post

Nigeria and Egypt are busy rallying support for their bid to head the World Trade Organization while the African Union should announce its decision by the end of June.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 23.06.2020

Nigeria's candidate for the post of World Trade Organization director-general, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Algeria, Mali
Algiers recycles old vehicles as part of its Sahelian strategy

As Algeria goes about trying to set up a Sahelian force under the aegis of the African Union, it is recycling stocks of used equipment to gift to Mali.

Subscribers only Defence, Politics 11.06.2020

Algeria, West Africa
Algiers strives to return to centre stage in the Sahel

Algerian president Abdelmadjid Tebboune has been trying for several weeks to bring his influence to bear on the situation in the Sahel. He is relying particularly on African Union peace and security commissioner Smaïl Chergui, who is leading an intense lobbying operation in favour of deployment of a 3,000-strong AU force in the region.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 08.06.2020

Smaïl Chergui, Africa Union peace and security commissioner.

Algeria
Ambassador Driencourt set to leave his post amid diplomatic tensions

Much appreciated by Algiers during the era of former president Bouteflika, it's time for French ambassador Xavier Driencourt to move on. As he readies to leave in the next few months, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has gone on the offensive against Paris in a calculated populist move.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 05.06.2020

The French ambassador in Algiers Xavier Driencourt.

African Union
Crisis meeting to discuss Smaïl Chergui

The 33rd summit of African Union (AU) heads of state [...]

Subscribers only Politics 31.01.2020

African Union, Djibouti
Smail Chergui engineers photo op with Ismail Omar Guelleh

The chair of the African Union (AU) Commission, Chad's Moussa [...]

Subscribers only Politics 15.11.2019

African Union, Djibouti
Djibouti criticises Smail Chergui for his links to Russia

The Djiboutian foreign minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf recently instructed his diplomats at the African Union (AU) and Ethiopia to keep a close eye on the AU peace and security commissioner, the Algerian Smail Chergui, who is suspected of having an agenda th

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Moscow keen for political solution in Damascus

From stepping up pressure on the Syrian regime to increasing dialogue with the country's various players, Moscow is trying all ways to bring about a political outcome to the Syrian quagmire.

Subscribers only Intelligence Online 09.09.2020

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Spotlight | Africa Time's up: Nigeria set to end Algeria's lock on top African Union security post

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Africa The chairperson of the AU commission appoints his ambassadors

Guinea ECOWAS mediator Thomas Boni Yayi returns to Conakry

Nigeria Kayode Fayemi tipped as next foreign minister

Spotlight | Chad, Nigeria Buhari and Kingibe pursue their top-secret mediation efforts in N'Djamena

Africa How Israel finally won observer status at AU despite SADC and North African opposition

Nigeria SecPro and Composites Solutions to equip President Buhari's close security guards

Africa AU members huddle to draw up reduced 2022 spending plans

Nigeria Buhari casts around for new diplomatic advisor

Africa Too many caretakers: AU's new peace and security commissioner finds department in disarray

Nigeria Buhari names diplomats for capitals of UN Security Council states

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

Nigeria, United Kingdom Cobham Aviation takes centre stage in London-Abuja military cooperation

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

Africa African Union commissioner shortlist emerges

Guinea Conakry close to becoming African Union's new mining HQ

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

Africa, Luxembourg Bamboo, the UN's low-profile Luxemburg fund manager

Spotlight | Africa Afreximbank chairman finances African medical platform of telecoms magnate Strive Masiyiwa

Spotlight | Africa African Union centre stage in Cairo-Abuja scuffle for top WTO post

Algeria, Mali Algiers recycles old vehicles as part of its Sahelian strategy

Algeria, West Africa Algiers strives to return to centre stage in the Sahel

Algeria Ambassador Driencourt set to leave his post amid diplomatic tensions

African Union Crisis meeting to discuss Smaïl Chergui

African Union, Djibouti Smail Chergui engineers photo op with Ismail Omar Guelleh

African Union, Djibouti Djibouti criticises Smail Chergui for his links to Russia

Moscow keen for political solution in Damascus

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Morocco
The incessant fall of flour milling company Forafric

DRC
Washington deal: intricacies behind Tshisekedi's poker move

Spotlight | Africa
Time's up: Nigeria set to end Algeria's lock on top African Union security post

Africa
The chairperson of the AU commission appoints his ambassadors

Guinea
ECOWAS mediator Thomas Boni Yayi returns to Conakry

Nigeria
Kayode Fayemi tipped as next foreign minister

Spotlight | Chad, Nigeria
Buhari and Kingibe pursue their top-secret mediation efforts in N'Djamena

Africa
How Israel finally won observer status at AU despite SADC and North African opposition

Nigeria
SecPro and Composites Solutions to equip President Buhari's close security guards

Africa
AU members huddle to draw up reduced 2022 spending plans

Nigeria
Buhari casts around for new diplomatic advisor

Africa
Too many caretakers: AU's new peace and security commissioner finds department in disarray

Nigeria
Buhari names diplomats for capitals of UN Security Council states

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

Nigeria, United Kingdom
Cobham Aviation takes centre stage in London-Abuja military cooperation

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

Africa
African Union commissioner shortlist emerges

Guinea
Conakry close to becoming African Union's new mining HQ

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

Africa, Luxembourg
Bamboo, the UN's low-profile Luxemburg fund manager

Spotlight | Africa
Afreximbank chairman finances African medical platform of telecoms magnate Strive Masiyiwa

Spotlight | Africa
African Union centre stage in Cairo-Abuja scuffle for top WTO post

Algeria, Mali
Algiers recycles old vehicles as part of its Sahelian strategy

Algeria, West Africa
Algiers strives to return to centre stage in the Sahel

Algeria
Ambassador Driencourt set to leave his post amid diplomatic tensions

African Union
Crisis meeting to discuss Smaïl Chergui

African Union, Djibouti
Smail Chergui engineers photo op with Ismail Omar Guelleh

African Union, Djibouti
Djibouti criticises Smail Chergui for his links to Russia