Mahmoud Ali Youssouf the new President of the African Union Commission: his country,his biography and his education

Par HAKIZIMANA Maurice

Djiboutian candidate Mahamoud Ali Youssouf was elected president of the African Commission of the African Union (AU), in Addis Ababa, last weekend (Saturday afternoon February 15, 2025). He won in the 7th round with 33 votes out of 49. He was elected for a 4-year term. He will succeed the Chadian Moussa Faki Mahamat whose second term at the head of the organization ends on March 15. But who is he? In this biographical story, I was able to collect everything you need to know about Mahmoud Ali Youssouf.

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Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, was and is until now Djiboutian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, government spokesperson. Photo in Djibouti, October 21, 2020. © Vincent Fournier for JA

Mahamoud Ali Youssouf–who is he?

Mahamoud Ali Youssouf of Djiboutian nationality was born on September 2, 1965. He is currently and has been Minister of Foreign Affairs of Djibouti since 2005. He has just been elected president of the African Union Commission.

He is a career politician. It was in March 1992 that he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he was appointed director of the Arab World Department in June 1996. In January 1997, he was appointed ambassador to Egypt. In July 2001, he became Minister Delegate, responsible for international cooperation, and in May 2005, he was promoted to Minister of Foreign Affairs and of international cooperation.

List of presidents of African Union Commission(AUC)

Name	Investiture	End of term
Jean Ping	April 28, 2008	October 15,2012
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma	October 15, 2012	January 30, 2017
Moussa Faki	January 30,2017	February 15, 2025
Mahamoud Ali Youssouf	February 15,2025

Is Mahmoud Ali Youssouf graduate?

Mahmoud Ali Youssouf followed a high-level academic career in several prestigious establishments, acquiring a thorough and diversified education. At the end of his schooling, he obtained his bachelor’s degree from the Djibouti high school in 1985. In 1990, he obtained a Master’s degree in Applied Foreign Languages ​​(English and Arabic) at the University of Lyon 2, in France. To complete his training, he followed a Didactic Training Program in Public Management at the National School of Public Administration (ENAP) in 1995. In addition, he passed The Oxford Examination in English as Foreign Language at the University of Oxford in 1989. In 1988, he obtained a Certificate in English/French-French/English translation, translation criticism and International Relations at the Liverpool Business School in the United Kingdom as well as a Level Certificate in Arabic at the Bourguiba Institute of Modern Languages ​​in Tunisia.

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Mahmoud Ali Youssouf is an experienced speaker and panelist, having collaborated with various experts and institutions to promote effective solutions and development, peace and security strategies for Djibouti, the region and Africa. He contributed to discussions on varied themes such as diplomacy, geopolitics, regional integration, and climate change.

In his private Life

Mahmoud Ali Youssouf is a married man and father of a family. The faces of his family and his children are not widely publicized.

DID YOU KNOW?

            Mahmoud Ali Youssouf's wife was raped about ten years ago by a terror squad made up of four thugs. Kidnapped at night in Balbala, more precisely on the heights of this immense suburb, near the home of a close relative located in the housing estate called "Hodane" on Farah-Had hill, she went there for a courtesy visit, the victim suffered this fateful evening a real torture from her executioners. (Cfr pages 264/266 book by Marc Fontrier “l'illusion du chaos ” 

READ ALSO:The CVs of the three candidates for the position of president of the African Union Commission.

Community engagements and development

Mahmoud Ali Youssouf founded the village of Sourat, comprising 65 homes, a school and a mosque, and put in place essential infrastructure to ensure sustainable access to water and electricity. He is also involved in drinking water supply initiatives and is an honorary member of several charitable associations.

Mahmoud Ali Youssouf is a moderate Muslim

Like the vast majority of Djiboutians, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf is a moderate and civilized Muslim who respects religious and cultural diversity. He was decorated Commander of the National Order of the Great Star of Djibouti in 2012 and received a distinction from the European Union in 2023 for his services rendered to Atalanta anti-piracy operations.

His hobbies

Mahmoud Ali Youssouf is passionate about reading, writing, history, fishing, swimming and hiking. These activities allow him to maintain a balance between his demanding professional life and his personal well-being.

Djibouti in images,a nice small country in the Hon of Africa

Djibouti (Republic of Djibouti) is a state in the Horn of Africa, located on the western coast of the southern outlet of the Red Sea. It borders on Somalia (Somaliland) to the southeast, Ethiopia to the south and west, Eritrea to the north and has, across the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, a maritime border with Yemen. Its population in 2022 is estimated at around 1 million Djiboutians.

Djibouti City is the capital of Djibouti, in the Horn of Africa. It is known for its 19th century architecture and its port, located at the entrance to the Red Sea. In the European Quarter, Menelik Square features whitewashed French colonial-style buildings and Moorish arcades lined with cafes and boutiques. In the African district, fruits, vegetables and spices are sold at the central market. The 20th-century Hamoudi Mosque is nearby.

Salt caravan at Lake Assal, Djibouti, Horn of Africa

What did you already know about Djibouti and especially about H.E Mahmoud Ali Youssouf?

This world,

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