# Chairperson of the African Union

| Chairperson of the African Union |
| --- |
| Flag of the African Union |
| **Incumbent Évariste Ndayishimiye** since 14 February 2026 |
| Style | Excellency |
| Abbreviation | CPAU |
| Appointer | the Assembly |
| Term length | One year |
| Constituting instrument | Constitutive Act of the AU (article 6) |
| Precursor | Chairperson of the OAU |
| Inaugural holder | Thabo Mbeki |
| Formation | 9 July 2002 |
| Deputy | Bureau |
| Website | au.int/en/cpau |

The **Chairperson of the African Union** is the ceremonial head of the African Union elected by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government for a one-year term.

A candidate must be supported by at least two-thirds of the member states or by consensus. The chairperson is expected to complete the term without resignations or impeachment.

## List of Chairpersons

| No. | Portrait | Chairperson | Took office | Left office | Country | Region |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 |  | Thabo Mbeki | 9 July 2002 | 10 July 2003 |  South Africa | Southern Africa |
| 2 |  | Joaquim Chissano | 10 July 2003 | 11 July 2004 |  Mozambique | Southern Africa |
| 3 |  | Olusegun Obasanjo | 11 July 2004 | 24 January 2006 |  Nigeria | West Africa |
| 4 |  | Denis Sassou Nguesso | 24 January 2006 | 24 January 2007 |  Republic of Congo | Central Africa |
| 5 |  | John Kufuor | 30 January 2007 | 31 January 2008 |  Ghana | West Africa |
| 6 |  | Jakaya Kikwete | 31 January 2008 | 2 February 2009 |  Tanzania | East Africa |
| 7 |  | Muammar Gaddafi | 2 February 2009 | 31 January 2010 |  Libya | North Africa |
| 8 |  | Bingu wa Mutharika | 31 January 2010 | 31 January 2011 |  Malawi | Southern Africa |
| 9 |  | Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo | 31 January 2011 | 29 January 2012 |  Equatorial Guinea | Central Africa |
| 10 |  | Yayi Boni | 29 January 2012 | 27 January 2013 |  Benin | West Africa |
| 11 |  | Hailemariam Desalegn | 27 January 2013 | 30 January 2014 |  Ethiopia | East Africa |
| 12 |  | Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz | 30 January 2014 | 30 January 2015 |  Mauritania | North Africa |
| 13 |  | Robert Mugabe | 30 January 2015 | 30 January 2016 |  Zimbabwe | Southern Africa |
| 14 |  | Idriss Déby | 30 January 2016 | 30 January 2017 |  Chad | Central Africa |
| 15 |  | Alpha Condé | 30 January 2017 | 28 January 2018 |  Guinea | West Africa |
| 16 |  | Paul Kagame | 28 January 2018 | 10 February 2019 |  Rwanda | East Africa |
| 17 |  | Abdel Fattah el-Sisi | 10 February 2019 | 10 February 2020 |  Egypt | North Africa |
| 18 |  | Cyril Ramaphosa | 10 February 2020 | 6 February 2021 |  South Africa | Southern Africa |
| 19 |  | Félix Tshisekedi | 6 February 2021 | 5 February 2022 |  Democratic Republic of Congo | Central Africa |
| 20 |  | Macky Sall | 5 February 2022 | 18 February 2023 |  Senegal | West Africa |
| 21 |  | Azali Assoumani | 18 February 2023 | 17 February 2024 |  Comoros | East Africa |
| 22 |  | Mohamed Ould Ghazouani | 17 February 2024 | 15 February 2025 |  Mauritania | West Africa |
| 23 |  | João Lourenço | 15 February 2025 | 14 February 2026 |  Angola | Southern Africa |
| 24 |  | Évariste Ndayishimiye | 14 February 2026 | Incumbent |  Burundi | [[East
Africa]] |