Former Somalia deputy PM and Foreign minister pulls out of race for AU Commission chair.
Fawzia Yusuf Adam, the former minister of foreign affairs of Somalia, has pulled out her candidature for chairperson of AUC following pressure from four other states.
Sources have confirmed that lawmaker Adam is not among the four candidates who have expressed interest to contest for the chairmanship of the African Union position. The application date for candidates expired on sixth August.
I told to withdraw my candidacy
Fawzia Adam disclosed in June that she was under pressure to withdraw her candidacy by leaders of the federal government and four federal member states, as per the request of Ismail Omar Guelleh, the president of Djibouti.
She declared, “The government and four federal member state leaders have told me to give up my campaigning,” at a press conference in Mogadishu. I made every effort to persuade them of the seat’s significance, but I was unable. They concurred that I ought to yield my place to Djibouti, another contender.”
Kenya was running for the same seat in the AU in 2016, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud rejected her application. “I’ve had twice my candidacy for AU chairmanship refused. “I’m not sure if it’s because I’m a woman or if there are other, more covert reasons,” she said.
After Adam declared her bid for presidency in February 2024 to strengthen Somalia’s position inside the AU, national leaders in her country backed her. Securing this powerful post is crucial because the government started lobbying in March and established a special committee to aid her campaign.
Given that Seychelles and Somalia have withdrawn their candidates for the African Union Commission, former Kenyan prime minister Raila Odinga has gained further momentum. Raila Odinga of Kenya, Mohamud Ali Yusuf, Djibouti’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, a candidate from Mauritius, and a candidate from Madagascar are among the four candidates who have reportedly registered for the race.
The election is scheduled for February of the following year.