AU Summit: Shettima Joins African Leaders as Ndayishimiye Succeeds Lourenço

Vice President Kashim Shettima on Saturday joined African leaders and global partners at the opening of the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

At the summit, President Évariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi formally assumed office as Chairman of the African Union for 2026, succeeding Angola’s President João Lourenço.

No fewer than 49 heads of state and government attended the opening session, alongside leaders of global and regional institutions. Among them were the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

The summit, themed “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063,” focused on advancing Africa’s long-term development blueprint.

In his welcome address, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed urged African leaders to remain united in driving socio-economic transformation across the continent. He highlighted Ethiopia’s investments in smart agriculture and climate-friendly energy projects, noting that the country is working toward a sustainable future for its population of over 130 million.

Guterres reaffirmed the United Nations’ commitment to Africa, describing the partnership between the UN and the African Union as one rooted in respect, dialogue, and solidarity. He praised African countries for their consistent support within the UN system and pledged continued backing for the continent’s pursuit of peace, security, and sustainable development.

In his valedictory remarks, Lourenço presented a scorecard of his tenure, citing progress in inclusive growth, infrastructure development, human capital investment, and resource mobilisation aligned with Agenda 2063.

He emphasized that peace and security had remained central to the AU’s agenda over the past year and called for stronger mechanisms to address conflicts and emerging threats across the continent.

Following remarks by leaders of regional blocs and development partners, the summit witnessed the formal handover of leadership to Ndayishimiye. The opening ceremony concluded with a family photograph, after which leaders proceeded into a closed-door session.