African Union Commission

The African Union Commission (AUC) is the secretariat of the African Union (AU), headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It was established alongside the AU itself when the Constitutive Act of the African Union entered into force in 2001, replacing the General Secretariat of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). The Commission represents the AU and defends its interests, prepares the agenda for AU summits, implements decisions taken by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government and the Executive Council, and manages the Union's budget and staff.

The AUC is led by a Chairperson, supported by a Deputy Chairperson and a set of Commissioners holding portfolios such as Political Affairs, Peace and Security; Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Mining; Infrastructure and Energy; Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment; Education, Science, Technology and Innovation; and Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development. The portfolio structure was streamlined under institutional reforms championed by Rwandan President Paul Kagame and adopted from 2017 onward, which reduced the number of commissioners and sought to sharpen the Commission's focus.

Chairpersons have included Alpha Oumar Konaré of Mali (2003–2008), Jean Ping of Gabon (2008–2012), Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma of South Africa (2012–2017), Moussa Faki Mahamat of Chad (2017–2025), and Mahmoud Ali Youssouf of Djibouti, elected in February 2025.

The Commission works closely with other AU organs, including the Peace and Security Council, the Pan-African Parliament, the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights, and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), now integrated as the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD). It also coordinates implementation of flagship initiatives such as Agenda 2063 and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), whose secretariat is hosted in Accra, Ghana.

For delegates and researchers, the AUC is the operational engine that translates summit-level political decisions into programs, communiqués, and continental policy frameworks.