The African Union’s 38th Ordinary Assembly began on Saturday in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa, bringing together heads of state to discuss key regional and continental issues, including peace and security, economic integration, and institutional reforms.
The two-day summit will see African leaders deliberate on the state of peace and security, the African Continental Free Trade Area, and institutional reforms to the bloc, among other strategic matters. Elections of the bloc’s chair and deputy chair are also set to be held.
One of the central discussions will focus on the biennial report on the union’s Silencing the Guns initiative, which aims to end armed conflicts on the continent by 2030. Leaders will also assess the bloc’s role in the G20 after it was made a permanent member in late 2023.
Additionally, the summit will address Africa’s growing role in global governance, with a report on reforming the UN Security Council expected from the Committee of Ten. Climate change, development financing, and social justice will also be in the spotlight.
African leaders are also expected to launch a renewed push for reparations related to slavery and colonialism, with the theme of the year, “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations,” aiming to address historical injustices and their lasting impact on the continent.
This initiative seeks to secure financial compensation, formal acknowledgments of past wrongs, and policy reforms from former colonial powers.
Amid continuing fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi will not attend the summit, a government spokesperson confirmed Friday. Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka will represent the country instead.
