The African Union Commission has appointed former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo to support its peace and stability efforts in the Horn of Africa, adding one of the continent’s most experienced statesmen to ongoing diplomatic initiatives in a region marked by recurring conflict.
The appointment was announced by African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, who said Obasanjo would help advance dialogue among key stakeholders across the region.
“President Obasanjo brings unparalleled experience, wisdom, and credibility to this important assignment,” Youssouf said.
Under the mandate, Obasanjo is expected to engage with relevant parties and regional actors to build confidence, sustain dialogue and support efforts toward lasting peace, stability and reconciliation in the Horn of Africa.
The former Nigerian leader, born in 1937 in Abeokuta, is a retired military officer who first came to national prominence after Nigeria’s 1976 transition following the assassination of head of state Murtala Mohammed. He led the country until 1979, overseeing a handover to civilian rule that became one of West Africa’s early military-to-civilian transitions.
Obasanjo later returned as an elected president, serving two terms from 1999 to 2007, during which his administration pursued economic reforms, debt negotiations and institutional restructuring.
Beyond national politics, he has played a sustained role in African diplomacy, including mediation assignments across conflict zones on the continent and leadership roles within both the African Union and ECOWAS.
The African Union said his appointment reflects his experience in statecraft and mediation as it seeks to strengthen dialogue-based approaches to regional stability.
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