The African Union held its 39th Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in February 2026. The two-day assembly produced the usual number of decisions and declarations across African peace and security, trade, governance and development. Such gatherings, however, can feel distant from the everyday realities of African citizens. They are…
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, has joined leaders across the world in mourning the passing of the Hon. Rev. Jesse Louis Jackson, who died at the age of 84. He described him as a towering figure whose life’s work resonated profoundly with Africa’s historic and ongoing struggles for justice,…
The Thirty-Ninth Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU) concluded today at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, following two days of high-level deliberations by African Heads of State and Government. The Session was held under the outgoing Chairmanship of H.E. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola…
The 2026 African Union Summit is being held this weekend in Addis Ababa, with Angola handing the rotating chair to Burundi. The bloc is facing challenges including mounting conflicts, insecurity in the Sahel, strained ties with Washington and internal strife, while this year’s summit theme of water highlights the damage done by devastating floods across…
The 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union at a Glance Water security is a strategic, development, peace, and climate issue Against the backdrop of statistics that show that 400 million people on the African continent lack water for their daily livelihood, and that over 800 million lack basic hygiene services, African…
What: On the margins of the 39th African Union (AU) Heads of State Summit, women leaders, convened under the auspices of African Women’s Leaders Network (AWLN), will mobilize around a high-level advocacy agenda to accelerate women’s full, equal, and effective participation in leadership and decision-making. The programme opens with the 9th Empowering Women in Agriculture…
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, has learned with deep shock and profound sorrow of the terrorist attack carried out on Tuesday, 3 February 2026, in the village of Woro, in Kwara State, during which at least 162 innocent civilians tragically lost their lives. The Chairperson of the Commission condemns…
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, is closely monitoring the unfolding situation in parts of Tigray Region of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, and expresses deep concern over recent developments. The Chairperson re-emphasizes the paramount and continued importance of the preservation of the hard-won gains achieved under the AU-led…
Addis Ababa — The following joint statement was released by the Government of the United States of America and the African Union Commission on the occasion of today’s agreement to establish a Strategic Investment Working Group. Begin text: Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and AUC Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf met today at the African Union Commission in…
The Chairperson described the final as a fitting and memorable conclusion to the tournament, as two formidable African teams of global stature–Senegal and Morocco–met in a contest that reflected the highest standards of African football, competitiveness, and continental pride. “AFCON has once again demonstrated that the beautiful game is a powerful force for unity, bringing…
