ADDIS ABABA – The Gambia is one of ten countries that have been elected as new members of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU PSC) for a two-year term. The election took place on the final day of the two-day meeting of the 47th ordinary session of the AU executive council of foreign ministers.

Over a dozen candidates including four East African countries were vying for the 10 seats up for grabs at AU’s top peace and security decision-making body.

Eritrea and Ethiopia reportedly withdrew their candidacy at the time of voting while Egypt stood as North Africa’s only candidate.

This paved the way for the Executive council to elect at least one country from all five regions of the continent to the AU PSC.

The newly elected PSC member states are Tanzania and Uganda from the East, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Equatorial Guinea from the Central, and Angola and Botswana from the South regions.

The other four countries are Côte d’ivoire, Sierra Leone and the Gambia from the West, and Egypt from the North African regions.

The ten AU member states will officially take the seat at the AU PSC for the two-year term on April 1st, 2024.

Meanwhile, The Gambia’s Vice President Muhammad B. S. Jallow and have arrived in Addis Ababa on Friday night to attend the 37th African Union Summit. He was welcomed upon arrival at Bole International Airport, by Ethiopia’s Irrigation and Lowlands Minister Ayisha Mohamed.