ADDIS ABABA - The newly elected African Union (AU) Commission chairperson, deputy chairperson, and several commissioners have assumed office, following a handover ceremony held Thursday at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, according to a press release.

The chairperson and deputy chairperson were elected and sworn in at the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government on Feb. 15.

Four of the six commissioners were sworn in at the handover ceremony following their election and appointment at the 46th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council on Feb 12.

Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, chairperson of the AU Commission, pledged his commitment to addressing institutional challenges and positioning Africa in the global architecture.

"Africa must take its destiny into its own hands. It is time to assert ourselves as a determined continent, capable of influencing major global decisions and proposing solutions to the crises that affect the continent," Youssouf was quoted as saying in the press release.

"I pledge today to act with determination to raise our union to the level of our peoples' expectations. We must breathe new life into our organization, strengthen our unity, and assert Africa's place in the concert of nations," he said.

While outlining the priority areas, Youssouf underscored the urgency to accelerate the implementation of the Second 10-Year Plan of Agenda 2063 to meet the expectations of the African population as well as to work toward the financial autonomy of the AU to reduce dependence on external funding by exploring innovative financing mechanisms.

In addition, he also stressed the significance of strengthening the collaboration between AU institutions and fast-tracking the implementation of institutional reforms to address administrative and structural blockages.