Guinea-Bissau: President considers Suzy Barbosa a “strong candidate” for the African Union

The President of Guinea-Bissau, Úmero Sissoco Embalo, on Wednesday declared his support for the candidacy of former Guinean minister Suzi Carla Barbosa for the African Union Commission (AUC), considering her to be a “strong candidate”.
The French press reports on Wednesday that the former Foreign minister of Guinea-Bissau has entered the race to succeed Moussa Faki Mahamat, whose term as president of the African Union Commission ends in early 2025.
“She’s a strong candidate,” said the Guinean Head of state, speaking to journalists on arrival at Bissau airport on his return from a vacation in the country.
Sissoco Embalo considered that Suzi Carla Barbosa’s candidacy is not because she was Foreign Minister in the government led by the current President, but because “she left a mark”.
“What is true (is that) any Guinean or country in our sub-region would be very pleased and proud to have a minister of her caliber,” he said.
If the former minister is chosen for the post, “it’s another source of pride for Guinea-Bissau”, as well as for the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP), in the president’s opinion.
The Head of State recalled that the African Union is concerned about gender in the choice of leadership, which will mean that if the position is now held by a man, a woman will follow.
“Of course there may be other candidates, it’s even good and plausible that there are other candidates,” he said, adding that he has already had demonstrations and support from Portugal and other countries.
The AUC is responsible for the activities of the African Union, is based in Ethiopia and consists of a chairman, a vice-chairman and eight commissioners.
The terms of office are four years, renewable once, and the current Chairman, Moussa Faki Mahamat from Chad, is less than a year and a half away from finishing his second and final term.