Five candidates running for African Union chief took part Friday in the bloc’s first leadership debate, calling for more youth involvement in the grouping and greater integration between member nations. The candidates from Kenya, Senegal, Chad, Botswana and Equatorial Guinea took to the stage to outline their vision at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa as part of a bid to popularise the 54-nation union. However rather than a debate on differing viewpoints, the candidates spoke directly to the audience and were largely in agreement about the continent’s pressing issues. Kenya’s Foreign Minister Amina Mohamed called for more youth to be involved in the AU. "We must include them in everything … they should be sitting at the conflict resolution tables," said Mohamed.
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