Mohamoud Ali Youssouf is a career diplomat, having restructured Djibouti’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to enhance communication, legal compliance, and diaspora engagement. Until his election as the AUC chair, Youssouf had served in the government of Djibouti as Minister of Foreign Affairs for two decades. He was appointed to the role in 2005. He established the Institut des Études Diplomatiques, a premier training and research centre for Djiboutian diplomats. He has leadership experience from the Arab League, OIC, and African Union Peace and Security Council. Youssouf was appointed as Minister-Delegate for International Cooperation on July 4, 2001, a role he served until he was appointed minister in 2005. In 2008, Youssouf served as Chairman of the 129th Ordinary Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Arab League.

He is an alumnus of the University of Liverpool, where he studied business management in 1988. He has a Master’s degree in management from the University of Laval, Canada, which he obtained in 1990. He also pursued several training programmes, including an Education Training in Public Management from the National School of Public Management, Canada (1995). Youssouf pursued The Oxford Examination in English as a Foreign Language from Oxford University, Oxford, in 1989. He has a Certificate of Translation in English/France from Liverpool Business School, UK –which he obtained in 1988. He also has a proficiency Certificate in Arabic from the Bourguiba Institute of Modern Languages, Tunis, which he obtained in 1988. 

He aims to build an integrated, prosperous, and peaceful continent grounded in diversity, gender equality, transparency, and integrity. He is committed to institutional reforms that enhance governance, democracy, peace, security, economic growth, infrastructure, and Africa’s global influence. On the international stage, he seeks to elevate Africa’s voice and secure fair representation in global institutions.