African Union

=== Selection of the chairperson ===
In 2006, the AU decided to create a Committee "to consider the implementation of a rotation system between the regions" in relation to the presidency. Controversy arose at the 2006 summit when Sudan announced its candidacy for the AU's chairmanship, as a representative of the East African region. Several member states refused to support Sudan because of tensions over [[Darfur]] (see also below). Sudan ultimately withdrew its candidacy and President [[Denis Sassou-Nguesso]] of the [[Republic of the Congo]] was elected to a one-year term. At the January 2007 summit, Sassou-Nguesso was replaced by President [[John Agyekum Kufuor]] of Ghana, despite another attempt by Sudan to gain the chair. The year 2007 was the 50th anniversary of Ghana's independence, a symbolic moment for the country to hold the chair of the AU—and to host the mid-year summit at which the proposed Union Government was also discussed. In January 2008, President [[Jakaya Kikwete]] of Tanzania took over as chair, representing the East African region and thus apparently ending Sudan's attempt to become chair—at least till the rotation returned to East Africa.<ref>See [http://www.afrimap.org/english/images/report/AU_People-DrivenNov07.pdf ''Towards a People-Driven African Union: Current Obstacles and New Opportunities''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080216054523/http://www.afrimap.org/english/images/report/AU_People-DrivenNov07.pdf |date=16 February 2008 }}, AfriMAP, AFRODAD and Oxfam GB, Updated Edition November 2007, pp. 45–46, and [http://www.afrimap.org/english/images/report/AfriMAP-AU-Guide-EN.pdf ''Strengthening Popular Participation in the African Union: A Guide to AU Structures and Processes''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927110741/http://www.afrimap.org/english/images/report/AfriMAP-AU-Guide-EN.pdf |date=27 September 2013 }}, AfriMAP and Oxfam GB, 2010, pp. 8–9.</ref> The current chair is [[Mohamed Ould  Ghazouani]], President of [[Mauritania]], whose term began on February 17, 2024.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ena.et/web/eng/w/eng_4033947 | title=President of Mauritania Elected as New Chairperson of AU }}</ref>

==== List of chairpersons ====
{{main|Chairperson of the African Union}}
[[File:Jakaya Kikwete and Muammar al-Gaddafi, 12th AU Summit, 090202-N-0506A-678.jpg|thumb|left|[[Muammar Gaddafi]] embracing Tanzanian President [[Jakaya Kikwete|Kikwete]] after assuming the chairmanship]]
{{Clear|left}}

{|class="wikitable"
|-valign=top
|+Chairpersons of the African Union
|-
!scope="col"|Name
!scope="col"|Beginning of term
!scope="col"|End of term
!scope="col"|Country
|-
|scope="row"|[[Thabo Mbeki]]
|9 July 2002
|10 July 2003
|{{flag|South Africa}}
|-
|scope="row"|[[Joaquim Chissano]]
|10 July 2003
|6 July 2004
|{{flag|Mozambique}}
|-
|scope="row"|[[Olusegun Obasanjo]]
|6 July 2004
|24 January 2006
|{{flag|Nigeria}}
|-
|scope="row"|[[Denis Sassou-Nguesso]]
|24 January 2006
|24 January 2007
|{{flag|Republic of the Congo}}
|-
|scope="row"|[[John Kufuor]]
|30 January 2007
|31 January 2008
|{{flag|Ghana}}
|-
|scope="row"|[[Jakaya Kikwete]]
|31 January 2008
|2 February 2009
|{{flag|Tanzania}}
|-
|scope="row"|[[Muammar al-Gaddafi]]
|2 February 2009
|31 January 2010
|{{flagdeco|Libya|1977}} [[Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya|Libya]]
|-
|scope="row"|[[Bingu wa Mutharika]]<ref>[https://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE60U05O20100131l Gaddafi fails in bid to remain African Union chair], Reuters, 31 January 2010 {{Dead link|date=May 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20111230205627/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g8cvj3048f4WEB6UQuim80MKqhVA Malawi president takes over as AU president], AFP, 31 January 2010</ref>
|31 January 2010
|31 January 2011
|{{flag|Malawi|2010}}
|-
|scope="row"|[[Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo]]<ref>[http://www.au.int/en/dp/cp/biography According to the AU] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006153642/http://www.au.int/en/dp/cp/biography |date=6 October 2011 }}, his official style is ''Son Excellence Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, Président de la République, Chef de l'État et Président Fondateur du Parti Démocratique de Guinée Equatoriale'' {{in lang|fr}}. Retrieved 4 October 2011.</ref>
|31 January 2011
|29 January 2012
|{{flag|Equatorial Guinea}}
|-
|scope="row"|[[Yayi Boni]]
|29 January 2012
|27 January 2013
|{{flag|Benin}}
|-
|scope="row"|[[Hailemariam Desalegn]]
|27 January 2013
|30 January 2014
|{{flag|Ethiopia}}
|-
|scope="row"|[[Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz]]
|30 January 2014
|30 January 2015
|{{flag|Mauritania|1959}}
|-
|scope="row"|[[Robert Mugabe]]
|30 January 2015
|30 January 2016
|{{flag|Zimbabwe}}
|-
|scope="row"|[[Idriss Déby]]
|30 January 2016
|30 January 2017
|{{flag|Chad}}
|-
|scope="row"|[[Alpha Condé]]
|30 January 2017
|28 January 2018
|{{flag|Guinea}}
|-
|scope="row"|[[Paul Kagame]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://au.int/en/pressreleases/20180128/president-paul-kagame-elected-new-chairperson-african-union-year-2018 |title=President Paul Kagame, Elected as New Chairperson of the African Union for the year 2018 - African Union |website=au.int |access-date=6 February 2018 |archive-date=5 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190205134722/https://au.int/en/pressreleases/20180128/president-paul-kagame-elected-new-chairperson-african-union-year-2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|28 January 2018
|10 February 2019
|{{flag|Rwanda}}
|-
|scope="row"|[[Abdel Fattah el-Sisi]]
|10 February 2019
|10 February 2020
|{{flag|Egypt}}
|-
|scope="row"|[[Cyril Ramaphosa]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/south-africa-takes-au-chair-expect-200209131603484.html |title=South Africa takes over as AU chair: What to expect |website=aljazeera.com |access-date=12 February 2020 |archive-date=12 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200212104846/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/south-africa-takes-au-chair-expect-200209131603484.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|10 February 2020
|10 February 2021
|{{flag|South Africa}}
|-
|scope="row"|[[Félix Tshisekedi]]
|10 February 2021
|5 February 2022
|{{flag|Democratic Republic of the Congo}}
|-
|scope="row"|[[Macky Sall]]
|5 February 2022
|18 February 2023
|{{flag|Senegal}}
|-
|scope="row"|[[Azali Assoumani]]
|18 February 2023
|17 February 2024
|{{flag|Comoros}}
|-
|scope="row"|[[Mohamed Ould  Ghazouani]]
|17 February 2024
|''Incumbent''
|{{flag|Mauritania}}
|}