Battle for African Union leadership plays out at US-Africa Summit

With East Africa in line to select the AU chairman at its next annual leadership rotation in February, regional powerhouse Kenya is facing off with the island nation of Comoros. Determined to seize his moment after climbing through the AU’s ranks over the past couple of years, Comoros President Azali Assoumani is making the rounds with his fellow heads of state to reach consensus and avoid a bitter dispute with Kenya’s President William Ruto, who is also vying for the seat.

“This is an opportunity that Comoros cannot miss,” Assoumani tells The Africa Report in an interview at his hotel. “We hope that our Kenyan brothers will understand us. It’s not often that a country like Comoros gets such an occasion, opportunity and honour.”

Assoumani tells The Africa Report that the AU’s current leaders – Senegalese President Macky Sall, the current chairman, and African Union Commission Chairman