Ruto woos Chad’s Deby to back Amina’s AU bid

Deputy President Ruto with Chadian leader Idriss Deby at State House, N’Djamena, on Monday. Mr Ruto said Foreign Affairs CS Amina Mohamed had the best credentials to head the AU Commission. PHOTO | DPPS

What you need to know:

  • Deputy President William Ruto said Kenya believed she had the experience and knowledge to drive the African agenda forward.
  • Kenya was aware that Chad had nominated its Foreign Affairs Minister Moussa Faki Mahamat for the same position.

Kenya on Monday sought the backing of Chad for Foreign Affairs CS Amina Mohammed’s bid to be African Union Commission chairperson.

Speaking in N’Djamena, where he presented a message from President Kenyatta to President Idriss Deby, Deputy President William Ruto expressed confidence that Chad would support Ms Mohammed.

He said Kenya believed she had the experience and knowledge to drive the African agenda forward.

“The minister sits in the executive council of Africa Agenda 2063 and understands where we want to take the continent. We have a clear infrastructure that her leadership will help us achieve,” said Mr Ruto.

He added that Kenya was aware that Chad had nominated its Foreign Affairs Minister Moussa Faki Mahamat for the same position.

President Deby, who is the African Union chairman, said the successful candidate would need to push for reforms that Africans desired in the United Nations. 

“We do not want someone who will take instructions from outside Africa,” said President Deby.

Mr Ruto said Africans should speed up integration to create a market that will compete with others globally.