39th AU Summit wraps up: Unity urged on peace, climate, and global equity as Burundi assumes chair

The 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU) concluded on February 15, 2026, at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, after two days of intensive deliberations among Heads of State and Government. Held from February 14-15, the summit marked a pivotal moment for continental unity, institutional transition, and renewed focus on sustainable development amid ongoing challenges like conflict, climate change, and global shifts.
New AU Chair, H.E. Évariste Ndayishimiye, President of Burundi
A key highlight was the formal handover of the AU Chairmanship. Outgoing Chairperson H.E. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of Angola (who led in 2025), passed the rotating leadership to H.E. Évariste Ndayishimiye, President of Burundi, who assumed office as AU Chairperson for 2026. In his acceptance remarks, President Ndayishimiye emphasized the need for African solidarity in addressing security threats, unilateral global approaches, economic tensions, and climate impacts. The Assembly also approved the composition of the AU Bureau for 2026, with Burundi as Chair, Ghana as First Vice Chair (West Africa), Tanzania as Second Vice Chair (East Africa), a representative from North Africa as Third Vice Chair, and Angola as Rapporteur (Southern Africa).
The summit launched the AU Theme of the Year 2026: “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063.” Leaders positioned water security as a core driver of human dignity, public health, economic growth, and climate resilience. Discussions emphasized transboundary cooperation, the adoption of frameworks like the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy and integrating water management into broader Agenda 2063 priorities. Side events reinforced commitments to malaria elimination, health sovereignty, and green/digital economic shifts.
The Assembly reaffirmed Africa’s Common Position on UN Security Council Reform, demanding equitable representation including a permanent African seat. Leaders called for unified, African-led solutions to peace and security crises, including conflicts in Sudan, South Sudan, the Sahel, and other regions. The summit addressed global issues, such as condemning the “extermination” of Palestinians and supporting full UN membership for Palestine while rejecting forced displacement plans. It also renewed opposition to external blockades, including the long-standing U.S. embargo on Cuba (endorsed for the 17th time).
Additional focus areas included accelerating AfCFTA implementation for intra-African trade, institutional reforms, health sovereignty (e.g., local vaccine manufacturing), climate action through CAHOSCC, and responses to aid cuts and shifting global alliances.
The session concluded with a strong call for implementation discipline beyond declarations, emphasizing African agency in a fractured world. A final press conference and closing ceremony underscored commitments to peace, integration, and sustainable development.
The summit blended optimism on continental priorities with realism about persistent hurdles, setting the tone for Burundi’s chairmanship year ahead.

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