Vice President Shettima joins African leaders in Addis Ababa as Burundi’s President Ndayishimiye assumes AU chairmanship at the 39th AU Summit

Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima joined dozens of African and global leaders in Addis Ababa on Saturday as Burundi’s President Evariste Ndayishimiye formally assumed the African Union chairmanship for 2026.

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The handover ceremony took place during the opening of the African Union 39th Ordinary Session, where President Ndayishimiye succeeded Angola’s President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço as chairperson of the continental body.

The high-level gathering drew 49 heads of state and government, alongside international partners including United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

In a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima was described as actively engaging with fellow leaders to advance Africa’s collective development agenda.

The summit, themed “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063,” opened with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali urging unity and decisive action among African leaders.

Abiy highlighted Ethiopia’s investments in smart agriculture and climate-friendly energy projects, noting progress toward building a sustainable future for its population of over 130 million people.

Addressing the summit, António Guterres commended the AU-UN partnership, describing it as rooted in mutual respect, dialogue and solidarity.

He pledged that the United Nations would continue prioritising Africa’s advancement in peace, security and sustainable development.

Outgoing Chairperson Lourenço reflected on his tenure, citing progress in inclusive economic growth, infrastructure development, human capital expansion and resource mobilisation aligned with the AU’s Agenda 2063 blueprint.

He emphasised the need for the AU to strengthen its security and conflict resolution mechanisms to confront emerging threats to peace and livelihoods across the continent.

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The session concluded with President Ndayishimiye’s formal assumption of office, followed by a family photograph of leaders before deliberations moved into a closed-door session focusing on water security, sanitation, climate change and continental security priorities.