African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf has marked African Union Day with a call for deeper unity, stronger institutions and faster implementation of continental commitments as the bloc marks 27 years since the decision to transform the OAU into the AU.
In a statement released on Tuesday, 8th September, 2026, ahead of African Union Day on the 9th of September, Youssouf reflected on the significance of the date, which commemorates the 1999 Sirte Declaration that laid the foundation for the African Union. He described the transition from the Organization of African Unity to the AU as a turning point that moved Africa from a focus on decolonisation and sovereignty to a more ambitious agenda of integration, peace, security and economic unity.
Youssouf said the vision born in Sirte now lives through flagship initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area, Agenda 2063 and collective action on climate, health and global governance. He acknowledged progress in areas such as free trade, health security and digital transformation, but stressed that the continent still faces major challenges, including coups, armed conflict, debt distress and external dependence.
The Chairperson urged member states to turn the AU’s blueprints into reality by strengthening institutions, financing peace operations and ensuring that decisions taken in Addis Ababa are implemented at national and regional levels. He reiterated that prevention must become the priority in Africa’s peace and security architecture, calling for a strengthened early-warning system, more effective implementation of AU decisions and a fully operational Peace Fund.
In recent messages, Youssouf has also linked African Union Day to broader themes of inclusion and global solidarity. On International Youth Day in August, he declared youth empowerment a continental imperative, insisting that young people must move from the margins to the centre of decision-making and be treated as partners and leaders today, not just leaders of tomorrow.
On the International Day for People of African Descent, he reaffirmed the AU’s commitment to recognition, justice and development for Africans and the diaspora, highlighting the African Union Decade of Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations (2026–2035) and work toward a Common African Position on reparations.
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