The Forty-Eighth Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union opened Wednesday at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, with a forceful appeal for deeper unity, sustainable development, and coordinated continental action to confront Africa‘s pressing challenges.
The two-day meeting, bringing together foreign ministers from AU member states, is convened under the 2026 theme of the year, “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063.”
Get more exclusive breaking news updates on our WhatsApp channel .
Addressing ministers, Chairperson of the AU Commission H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf framed water as both a survival imperative and a strategic asset. In the face of climate disruptions, he said, prudent use of water in daily life is essential. Water must be treated as a collective good, preserved at all costs, and leveraged as a vector for peace and cooperation among member states.
He pointed to the Commission’s ongoing reform efforts, highlighting the validated 2024 to 2028 strategic plan and the rollout of institutional reforms in coordination with reform Champion President H.E. William Ruto.
On peace and governance, the Chairperson acknowledged persistent political instability, security crises, and unconstitutional changes of government. He noted progress in Gabon and Guinea, while citing setbacks in Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. Terrorist threats in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa remain a serious concern. While progress is minimal in some areas, he said AU mediators remain active. He welcomed the return to constitutional order in Gabon and Guinea and their reintegration into the AU.
Turning to development, he highlighted tangible gains under the African Continental Free Trade Area and through AU specialised agencies. He stressed the need for innovative financing and broader inclusion of the private sector, civil society, and philanthropic foundations. More than ever, he said, the continent must capitalise on its instruments to sustain development and integration momentum.
H.E. Amb Téte António, Minister of External Relations of Angola and Chairperson of the Executive Council, underscored Angola’s leading continental role through its AU presidency. Under Luanda’s leadership, he said, the Union intensified diplomatic engagement and high-level consultations to strengthen joint African action. The AU advanced coordination on peace, security, and development priorities, while laying groundwork for the 2026 AU Summit of Heads of State and Government. Angola’s presidency, he added, was marked by firm commitment to African-led solutions, stronger unity among member states, and consolidation of strategic partnerships.
H.E. Gedion Timothewos, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, highlighted Africa’s achievements over the past year, including progress on Agenda 2063, the African Continental Free Trade Area, and unified positions on UN Security Council reform and climate justice. He also pointed to ongoing challenges such as unconstitutional changes of government, geopolitical competition affecting the continent, and external exploitation. True strength, he stressed, lies in unity. As Ethiopia prepares to host COP 32, he called for renewed commitment to continental solidarity, equitable global partnerships, meaningful representation in international forums, and proactive African leadership to realise “The Africa we want.”
Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Claver Gatete, said the continent stands at a pivotal economic juncture. Development models dependent on commodity exports and external financing are no longer viable, he warned. Amid global economic fragmentation, shrinking fiscal space, and climate pressures, Africa must organise its development around its own continental economic system, with the African Continental Free Trade Area as a central platform.
Behind closed doors, the Executive Council is set to consider the report of the 51st Ordinary Session of the Permanent Representatives’ Committee, review the report on AU participation in the G20, and conduct elections and appointments to key AU organs. These include the Peace and Security Council, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.
Ministers will also receive updates on implementation of previous decisions, including progress on the Skills Assessment and Competence Audit process, examine draft legal instruments, and review reports from ministerial committees on the scale of assessment and contributions, African candidatures within the international system, and implementation of Agenda 2063. The Council will further examine the draft agenda and decisions of the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government scheduled for February 14 to 15, before adopting decisions of the current session.
The 48th Ordinary Session reaffirms the African Union’s commitment to stronger continental governance, sustained peace and security, and accelerated delivery of Africa’s shared development agenda.
