SHETTIMA JOINS AFRICAN LEADERS AS BURUNDI’S NDAYISHIMIYE EMERGES NEW AU CHAIRMAN
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
Vice President Kashim Shettima on Saturday joined other African leaders 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 Evariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi formally assumed office as the new Chairman of the African Union for 2026, succeeding President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço of Angola.
No fewer than 49 heads of state and government attended the opening session, alongside leaders of global and regional institutions. Among them were United Nations Secretary-General 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 socio-economic transformation. In his welcome address, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali stressed the need for unity among African leaders in championing development across the continent. He highlighted Ethiopia’s investments in smart agriculture and climate-friendly energy projects aimed at securing a sustainable future for its population of over 130 million.
In his remarks, Guterres reaffirmed the strong partnership between the UN and the AU, praising the consistent support of the African Group within the United Nations. He assured leaders that the global body would continue to prioritise Africa’s progress in peace, security, and sustainable development.
Outgoing AU Chairperson Lourenço presented a scorecard of his tenure, outlining progress in inclusive growth, infrastructure development, human capital advancement, and resource mobilisation in line with Agenda 2063. He also underscored the importance of strengthening the AU’s security and conflict resolution mechanisms to address emerging threats across the continent.
The plenary session featured remarks from leaders of regional blocs and development partners before President Ndayishimiye officially assumed office. The leaders later proceeded into a closed-door session following the traditional family photograph.
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