Burundi diplomat Fred Ngoga quits AU after 17 years

Burundian diplomat Fred Ngoga has resigned from the African Union Commission after 17 years, without giving a reason for his resignation.

The 47-year-old announced his decision in a post on X on Tuesday, 8 September, which he later deleted.

“I have decided to resign from the African Union Commission after 17 years of service,” Mr Ngoga wrote.

“I used to believe that some of us have a rendez-vous with history. Shall we meet again!”

He did not provide further details about his decision.

Mr Ngoga most recently served as Senior Adviser on International Partnerships in the AU Border Programme and Regional Security Mechanisms, within the Office of the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security.

He previously headed the Conflict Prevention and Early Warning Division at the AU Commission, where he worked on conflict prevention and peace and security issues across the continent.

His career also included work with the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom), where he was involved in operational planning and counter-terrorism efforts.

In recent months, Mr Ngoga has become increasingly outspoken about political and governance issues in Burundi.

He has raised concerns about ethnic discrimination in the country, including what he has described as continued discrimination against members of the Tutsi community.