Chad's foreign minister Moussa Faki Mahamat was named Monday as the new AU Commission chairman, beating four others to succeed South Africa's Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, diplomats told AFP.

"The chairperson was elected in the fourth round," said former Burundian president Pierre Buyoya, adding that Mahamat won after a final round battle with Kenyan foreign minister Amina Mohamed.