Algeria’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union, Salma Malika Haddadi, was elected as Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission on Saturday, securing 33 votes.
Haddadi’s victory came with a two-thirds majority, defeating the Moroccan candidate who was eliminated in the sixth and penultimate round, while the Libyan and Egyptian candidates withdrew in the first and third rounds, respectively. She replaces Rwandan Monique Nsanzabaganwa, whose term has ended.
Haddadi, 47, is a seasoned diplomat with over two decades of experience in advancing peace and unity across the African continent. She served as the Director-General for African Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from March 2023 to April 2024 and, between 2019 and 2023, as Algeria’s Extraordinary Ambassador and Commissioner to Kenya and South Sudan.
From 2015 to 2019, she held the role of Ministerial Advisor and Deputy Head of Mission at the Algerian Embassy in Ethiopia and the African Union. Prior to that, between 2013 and 2015, she served as Deputy Director for Social Development at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Directorate General for Political Affairs and International Security.
The campaign for her election was officially launched on December 17, 2024, by the Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs, National Community Abroad, and African Affairs, Ahmed Attaf, in Addis Ababa. Colleagues regard Haddadi as a skilled diplomat, with a career spanning over two decades, dedicated to peace and unity in the continent.
Throughout her career, Haddadi has demonstrated exceptional negotiating skills, collaborating with member states, regional organizations, and international partners.
Her extensive experience in high-level negotiations has equipped her with deep insights into the African Union’s workings, helping her understand the challenges it faces and the roles of its various bodies in achieving its goals.
