Few heads of diplomacy can boast the longevity of Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Djibouti’s foreign minister since 2005, who was elected Saturday to head the African Union’s executive commission.

Youssouf won the required support of two-thirds of the region’s leaders in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa to secure the post representing some 1.5 billion Africans across the continent.

The 59-year-old was deemed an outside shot against veteran Kenyan politician Raila Odinga, but observers praised the career the diplomat’s low-key campaign to succeed Chadian Moussa Faki Mahamat and head the pan-African bloc.

The multilingual politician — who speaks Arabic, English and French — remains close to Djibouti’s leader Ismail Omar Guelleh.

Guelleh called his minister’s election “a proud moment for Djibouti and Africa,” in a message on X.

“His leadership will serve Africa with dedication and vision.”

One of the least populated countries on the continent, home to some one million, Djibouti holds a strategic position facing the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, through which passes much of the world’s trade. 

Youssouf has said that there is a “problem with governance” in some African nations, particularly those that have been shaken by recent coups.

“The continent is experiencing many difficulties at the moment,” he told AFP in December.

He said that as commission chairman, “peace and security” would be his priority.

He will have to grapple with the devastating conflicts in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan, as well as huge development aid cuts launched by US President Donald Trump.

Much of the continent has been left reeling by the move to cut funding for the USAID agency, with experts warning it would hobble humanitarian work in Africa.

Youssouf refused to be drawn on Trump, telling AFP in December — ahead of the US leader’s inauguration — that his policies will be judged “without prejudice”.