AU Commission Chief Demands End to ‘Extermination’ of Palestinian People at Addis Ababa Summit

The new chairman of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, used his address at the opening of the organization’s 39th summit on Saturday to issue a stark condemnation of the ongoing military campaign in Gaza, calling for an immediate halt to what he described as the “extermination” of the Palestinian people.

“In the Middle East, Palestine and the suffering of its people also challenge our consciences. The extermination of this people must stop,” Youssouf stated during his speech to heads of state and delegates gathered in the Ethiopian capital.

Youssouf, who was elected to lead the pan-African body one year ago, referenced the dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. The small coastal enclave, bordered by Israel, Egypt, and the Mediterranean Sea, has been under a stringent Israeli siege since the outbreak of the war following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.

According to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures, the initial Hamas attack resulted in the deaths of 1,221 people, the majority of whom were civilians. In response, Israel launched a large-scale retaliatory offensive. The health ministry in Gaza reports that at least 71,667 Palestinians have been killed in the territory since the campaign began.

Beyond the Middle East, Youssouf addressed the numerous conflicts plaguing the African continent. He highlighted the heavy toll of instability across several regions.

“From Sudan to the Sahel, to eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, in Somalia and elsewhere, our people continue to pay the heavy price of instability,” he told the assembly.

The two-day summit has convened leaders from the African Union’s 55 member states. While discussions on continental security and governance are expected to dominate the agenda, this year’s official theme is dedicated to water sanitation.