Ethiopia has been elected to the African Union’s Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) for a three-year term, reinforcing its role in regional stability. The country won 38 votes at the 46th Executive Council meeting in Addis Ababa, surpassing Rwanda and Somalia, which secured one and ten votes, respectively.
The election follows the expiration of five AUPSC members’ mandates on March 31, making the contest highly competitive. Ethiopia joins Cameroon (Central Africa), Eswatini (Southern Africa), and Nigeria (West Africa) as newly elected members, while the North African seat remains vacant due to a lack of consensus.
Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the election, highlighting the country’s ongoing contributions to peace and security across the continent. This marks Ethiopia’s fifth term on the AUPSC, underlining its role in peacekeeping and conflict resolution efforts.
Somalia played a significant role in the selection process for AU leadership positions. At a ministerial meeting chaired by Somalia’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ali Mohamed Omar (Balcad), discussions covered key AU and international appointments. Somali officials also confirmed that issues preventing Ethiopia’s full participation in the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) have been resolved, paving the way for finalizing troop contributions.