Abuja – ONE Campaign welcomes the election of Senegal President Macky Sall, as the new African Union chairperson. President Macky Sall will serve as the AU chair until 2023. He begins his tenure as Africa experiences bouts of democratic backsliding, subdued economic outlook and massive job losses driven by covid-19 pandemic and a vaccination drive that has only seen 10% of the total population vaccinated against covid-19.
Speaking on behalf of the non-profit, ONE in Africa Executive Director Edwin Ikhuoria said: “We congratulate, President Macky Sall as he takes up the AU chair for 2022, at a crucial period where the continent is trying to find ways to recover millions of jobs lost due to the pandemic and scale up its economic recovery. According to the Afro-Barometer, for the majority of Africans, jobs are the most pressing issue that government should focus on. Equally as important, President Sall’s leadership in ensuring that Africans get the needed vaccines and therapeutics to end the pandemic in collaboration with other global leader will be a key performance indicator of a successful tenure as AU chairperson. ONE is certain that, under President Macky Sall’s able leadership, the African Union will continue to drive strategies in the direction of the Africa we want.”