Mahamoud Ali Youssouf is a seasoned Djiboutian diplomat and the elected Chairperson of the African Union Commission as of February 2025. With over two decades as Djibouti’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, he has been instrumental in positioning the tiny Horn of Africa nation as a pivotal diplomatic and strategic player.

Known for his calm pragmatism and multilingual fluency, Youssouf played key roles in mediating regional conflicts, strengthening Djibouti’s alliances with major powers like China and the U.S., and representing African interests at the United Nations and global summits. His leadership style blends technocratic discipline with pan-African ambition, making him a consensus choice among both Francophone and Anglophone blocs in the AU.

Despite his diplomatic acclaim, Youssouf has faced scrutiny for practicing what critics call “military‑base diplomacy”. As Djibouti’s foreign minister, he orchestrated hosting troops from China, the U.S., France, Italy, Japan, and Saudi Arabia along the strategic Bab‑el‑Mandeb Strait. While some praised this as savvy global balancing, others accused him of turning the nation into a geopolitical foothold—raising concerns about sovereignty and dependency on foreign powers letstalkafrika.com+15