Chadian Foreign Minister Moussa Faki Mahamat beat Kenya's top diplomat Amina Mohamed. Faki garnered 38 votes in a hotly contested electionbeating Amina who travveled to moost of the 54 African Countries during her campaign.

Outgoing Chairperson, South Africa's Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, stayed in the job an extra six months after leaders failed to agree a candidate in July.  African leaders are expected to  expected to discuss a petition by Morocco, seeking to rejoin the union after nearly three decades of absence.  Morocco left the AU in 1984, after the organisation recognised the independence of Western Sahara, which Morocco claims is part of its territory. The AU supports political and economic integration among its 54 member nations.