Mauritania Takes over Rotating Chair of African Union

Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani has officially taken over the rotating presidency of the African Union for the year 2024.

The handover took place during the opening ceremony of the 37th ordinary session of the General Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Mauritania's selection for the presidency follows a unanimous decision by member states in the North African region, succeeding the Comoros in this prestigious role, as reported by the Mauritanian News Agency.

This year's 37th ordinary session of the African Union Summit is being conducted under the theme: "Adapting African Education for the 21st Century."

Notably, six of the 55 member states are absent from the summit due to suspensions following coups, with Gabon and Niger joining the list of sanctioned states in 2023, which already included Mali, Guinea, Sudan, and Burkina Faso.