Shettima Attends 39th AU Summit as Burundi Takes Chair

On Saturday, Kashim Shettima, the Vice President of Nigeria, participated in the opening session of the 39th African Union (AU) Summit held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. During this session, Evariste Ndayishimiye, the President of Burundi, took over as the new Chairman of the AU for 2026, succeeding João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, the President of Angola.

The summit was attended by no fewer than 49 heads of state and government leaders, alongside global development partners, including United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The theme of the summit centered on ensuring sustainable water availability and safe sanitation systems to achieve the goals of Agenda 2063.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed emphasized the need for African leaders to unite in resolving socio-economic challenges. Guterres expressed the UN's unwavering support for Africa, highlighting the importance of partnerships.

The summit also addressed critical issues such as climate change, peace, and security, with a commitment to mobilizing resources for development projects across the continent.