The African Union (AU) officially announced in the Sirte Declaration in Libya on September 9,1999, has witnessed leadership of several Presidents and Head of States.
The current Chairperson is H.E. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, the President of Angola, serving from February 2025 to February 2026. This position is a rotating role, held for a one-year term by a Head of State from one of the AU’s five regions namely: North, South, East, West, and Central Africa.
The Chairperson of the African Union is the ceremonial head of the African Union (AU) elected by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government for a one-year term. He or she is selected by consensus or a majority vote of the Heads of State at the AU Summit.
In the likely event that, information being gathered materialise, President John Dramani Mahama, Ghana’s recording setting President will be aspiring to serve the continental bloc as Chairperson.
Ghana’s Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, speaking to the unofficial information expressed optimism that President Mahama could be elected as Chairman of the African Union (AU) in 2027.
He noted that President Mahama’s experience and leadership credentials place him in a strong position to spearhead the continent’s vision of unity and development.
President Mahama has already indicated he will not seek a third term in Ghana, but with three years remaining in his mandate, many African leaders are looking to him to chart a path of prosperity and stability.
Africa, with its population of over 1.4 billion people and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat headquartered in Accra, Ghana, is strategically positioned to shape global trade.
Ablakwa believes Mahama’s leadership at the AU would strengthen Africa’s voice in global economic and political affairs, particularly in building stronger partnerships with Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
President Mahama is no stranger to continental leadership. During his first term in office, he served as Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) from March 2014 to May 2015.
Under his chairmanship, he coordinated West Africa’s collective response to the Ebola epidemic in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea. He also mediated political crises in Burkina Faso and Mali, earning respect as a consensus-builder and statesman.
In addition, Mahama has worked with the African Union on peace and security initiatives and supported AU and UN peacekeeping missions with Ghanaian troops.
His advocacy for regional integration and infrastructural development has often aligned with the AU’s Agenda 2063, which envisions a prosperous and politically united Africa.
Given Mahama’s stature as a former ECOWAS Chairman and his renewed mandate in Ghana, many analysts believe he will be strongly considered when West Africa’s turn to lead the AU arises.
Ablakwa stressed that Mahama’s leadership would bring renewed transformation and deepen Africa’s engagement with global partners. He said the prospect of Mahama at the helm of the AU inspires confidence across the continent.
Many Africans who have commented on circulating information sees President Mahama’s chances of becoming AU chair as promising, considering his recent involvement in high-level African Union (AU) meetings.
While it’s difficult to predict the outcome of the AU chair election, Mahama’s experience, advocacy, and commitment to African development make him a potential contender.
By Adnan Adams Mohammed
