Chad's Mahamat to take over from Dlamini-Zuma as AU Commission Chair

Addis Ababa - Chad's foreign minister Moussa Faki Mahamat is the next AU Commission chairperson.

According to News24.com, the results were informally announced by jubilation in the halls of the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa shortly before 17:00 east African time.

Mahamat is said to have received 28 votes in the final round of voting, while Kenyan Foreign Minister Amina Mohamad got 24 heads of state behind her.

Mahamat is Chad's former prime minister and is known as a veteran statesman and diplomat, as well as a pan-Africanist who speaks French, English and Arabic.

Mahamat succeeds Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who was lobbying for a woman to follow her. She will be returning to South Africa in April after a handover period.