The 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) opened today at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, emphasizing African solidarity, financial independence, and a collective drive to shape the global agenda.
Held under the theme “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063,” the two-day summit saw the election of Burundi’s President Évariste Ndayishimiye as Chairperson of the AU for 2026, succeeding Angola’s João Lourenço.
Alongside Burundi’s leadership, Ghana was appointed First Vice Chair, representing West Africa in the new AU Bureau. Tanzania assumes Second Vice Chair for East Africa, the Third Vice Chair for North Africa is yet to be confirmed, and Angola takes the role of Rapporteur for Southern Africa.
Speaking at the summit, Chairperson of the AU Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, framed the meeting around the 2026 water and sanitation theme, describing access to safe water as a collective good critical for development, peace, and public health.
He urged member states to accelerate political and economic integration under Agenda 2063 and stressed the need for financial self-reliance, institutional reform, and faster implementation of continental flagship initiatives, including industrialisation, agriculture, infrastructure, and energy.
Outgoing AU Chair, H.E. João Lourenço of Angola, reflected on progress during his tenure, highlighting efforts to advance Agenda 2063, strengthen continental integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and implement reforms to improve AU efficiency.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called for Africa to move from reacting to global events to shaping the international agenda, highlighting Ethiopia’s investments in AI research and education as part of a forward-looking vision for the continent.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres underlined the importance of multilateral cooperation, stronger African representation in global institutions, and continued support for Africa’s development priorities.
As First Vice Chair, Ghana will play a key role in supporting the AU Chair and advancing continental unity, peace, and sustainable development initiatives, particularly those targeting water security, institutional reform, and youth and women empowerment across Africa.
