Africa: AU Picks Nigerian Diplomat Gambari for Elite High-Level Panel

25 August 2025
Leadership (Abuja)

Former Foreign Affairs Minister and Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General on Darfur, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, has been appointed to the African Union's (AU) High-Level Panel.

Responding to the appointment, Gambari, who also served as Chief of Staff to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, expressed confidence that the AU was taking steps toward finding home-grown solutions to its challenges ranging from security, economy, peace, and governance.

His responsibility as a member of the panel includes providing strategic guidance as well as championing African-led solutions.

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Professor Gambari said he viewed the appointment as a call to service, stressing that, more than ever, Africa as a continent must double its efforts in addressing challenges through strategic home-grown approaches aligned with its desire to tackle emerging threats.

The Nigerian diplomat is also saddled with the responsibility, alongside other panel members, to collaborate with African practitioners in the form of a Reference Group and Technical Experts.

These responsibilities are contained in his letter of appointment signed by the AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, dated August 20, 2025.

The letter stated: "On behalf of the Chairperson of the African Union, I have the honour to notify you of your designation as a member of the High-Level Panel of Eminent Experts to conduct a comprehensive review of the African Union's Governance, Peace and Security Frameworks.

"You are hereby invited to participate in the review process scheduled for 1-5 September in Nairobi, Kenya. Arising from the decision of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government of February 2025, and in the context of the AU institutional reform, this exercise will undertake a strategic review of AU frameworks in the governance, peace, and security domains."

It also stated that the panel was established under the auspices of the AU Champion for Institutional Reforms and seeks to enhance institutional coherence, address persistent and emerging threats, and reposition the Union to deliver peace dividends inspired by the aspirations of Agenda 2063.

According to Professor Gambari, the steps taken by the AU were well articulated, and he commended the Union for appointing knowledgeable Africans with rich and diverse experiences to the panel.

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