The African Union Executive Council has re-elected Zambia's Ambassador Albert Mudenda Muchanga as new Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Industry and Mining.
He polled 44 votes from 53 member states that voted.
Ambassador Muchanga was elected at the on-going 34th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government.
Ambassador Muchanga is currently African Union Commissioner for Trade and Industry.
He previously served as Zambia's Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union. He was also Zambia's Ambassador to Brazil. He also served as Permanent Secretary, and as Deputy Executive Secretary of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Ambassador Muchanga has provided strategic leadership in facilitating negotiation, conclusion and ratification of the Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which entered into force on 30th May 2019 and whose operation phase was launched on 7th July, 2019.
In addition, Ambassador Muchanga has provided similar leadership on matters of trade, industrialisation, mining and customs cooperation.
Ambassador Muchanga works with ease at technical, professional, management, leadership and political levels.