While two positions are still available at the AU Commission, the ECOWAS countries will present a single application. Morocco will also try to win, despite a disunity in the North Africa region.
Two of the ten Commissioner's seats in the African Union are vacant, those of health, humanitarian affairs and social development, and that of education, science, technology and innovation. While the AU Commission currently has two North African commissioners against one for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the battle rages behind the scenes for the two regions of the continent. Next June, elections will be held to allocate the two remaining seats for the next four years.
Positions which are of capital diplomatic importance: “The Commissioners assist the President in the management of the Commission. They are responsible for the implementation of all programs, policies and decisions that fall within the portfolio for which they are responsible, ”says the African Union.
ECOWAS has the right to a second post of commissioner within the Commission and has decided to present Burkina Faso, on recommendations from Nigeria. Muhammadu Buhari had a lot to do to convince the members of ECOWAS to rally to the cause of Roch Marc Christian Kaboré. Indeed, Sierra Leone, Gambia and Ghana were also keen to obtain the post. Nigeria continues its influence operation after placing Bankole Adeoye, a close friend of Buhari, as commissioner for political affairs, peace and security.
Burkina Faso's former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minata Samate Cessouma, will for his part try to obtain the post of Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development. A West African union that is strength: if, as expected, all ECOWAS members line up behind the candidacy of this close to Kaboré, it should easily win the seat hoped for by Burkina Faso.
Mauritania wants to bypass Morocco
On the side of North Africa, Morocco is also trying to impose, like Nigeria, its paw. But the kingdom's return to the African Union in 2017 caused it to lose ground in terms of diplomacy and influence. During the ballot to elect the agriculture commissioner last February, Moroccan Mohammed Sadiki did not get the necessary votes, Angolan Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko having won the post.
But Morocco could well impose its candidate for the post of commissioner for education, science, technology and innovation. Except that North Africa is not ECOWAS… The Shereefian kingdom cannot in fact count on two votes within its own region: Algeria and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) will indeed not vote for their sworn enemy, especially since the recognition by the United States of Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara. Morocco also has other countries, like South Africa, against it.
And unlike ECOWAS, North Africa will not speak with one voice: Mauritania will indeed present its own candidacy, with its Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Technologies. Information and Communication, Sidi Ould Salem, also government spokesperson. If Rabat did not come far from winning a first post of commissioner last February, it could once again fail.