Djibouti(Mogadishu24)-Djibouti has expressed dissatisfaction with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni’s remarks regarding Djibouti’s candidate for the African Union Commission (AUC) leadership.

Djibouti’s Minister of Finance, Ilyas M. Dawaleh, criticized Museveni’s dismissive tone when referring to Djibouti’s Foreign Minister, Mahamoud Youssouf Ali, during a recent speech.

In response, Minister Dawaleh emphasized the importance of respect and protocol in African traditions, noting that Museveni should have referred to Minister Youssouf Ali by name or title, rather than as “a young man.”

“I am very happy to come here and support Raila Odinga. Before I came, there was a young man from Djibouti, I normally see him as a minister. He came to me and told me he was a candidate for Djibouti. Of course, I greeted him well, we took photographs, we had a cup of tea, but I told him no… I actually told him that I was coming here to support Raila Odinga because he is a candidate who is fit for this job because it is a job of vision, it is a job of knowledge“, Musaveni said in Nairobi Tuesday.

Dawaleh highlighted that despite Museveni’s support for Kenyan candidate Raila Odinga, Minister Youssouf Ali visited to personally present his candidacy and vision for Africa.

Dawaleh reiterated Youssouf Ali’s readiness to serve and collaborate with all leaders in the region, regardless of their support in the election. The remarks came after Museveni publicly endorsed Raila Odinga for the AUC leadership during an official event in Nairobi, where leaders from the East African Community voiced their support for Odinga.

Djibouti’s candidate is among four contenders for the position, alongside candidates from Kenya, Mauritius, and Madagascar.