African Union day: Mahmoud Ali Youssouf calls for unity
On the occasion of African Union Day, celebrated this 9 September, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf called on African states and societies to strengthen unity, economic integration, and the continent's capacity to have greater influence in global decisions.
The chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, on Wednesday, 9 September, called on member states, regional institutions, the private sector, and civil society to strengthen the continent’s unity and its capacity for influence, on the occasion of African Union Day.
In a message published by the Commission in Addis Ababa, the Djiboutian official linked this ambition to three priorities: peace and security, economic integration, and stronger African representation in major international bodies. He presented Agenda 2063 as the reference framework for this trajectory.
The commemoration comes just days after the adoption, on 4 September, of a United Nations General Assembly resolution supporting the use of map projections that more accurately represent Africa’s size. Led by Togo with the support of the African Union, resolution A/80/L.104 received 164 votes in favor, one against, and six abstentions.
The UN text notably encourages governments, educational institutions, international organizations, and technology companies to favor, when comparing land areas, equivalent projections such as Equal Earth rather than the Mercator projection. The latter preserves angles useful for navigation but greatly enlarges territories near the poles.
Mahmoud Ali Youssouf sees this vote as an issue broader than cartography. He believes that how Africa is represented also affects how its political, economic, and demographic weight is perceived. His message links this issue to the deepening of the AfCFTAto African peace and security mechanisms and the continent’s desire to have greater influence in global governance.
The African Union Day is celebrated every 9 September in reference to the ̶S̶y̶r̶t̶e̶ Declaration of ̶ 1999̶ 2002 ̶
For the 2026 edition, the Commission also emphasizes the concrete living conditions of populations. It recalls that the continent’s priorities for the year include sustainable access to water and sanitation, alongside the growth, peace, and integration objectives set by Agenda 2063.
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