Over 35 heads of state, one king, 19 first ladies, two vice presidents, one prime minister, and two foreign ministers have gathered in Addis Ababa for the African Union (AU) leaders’ summit, which commenced at AU headquarters on Friday.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the attendance of numerous high-profile figures, despite the exclusion of six countries whose AU membership has been suspended.
The AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) suspended Sudan in June 2019, Niger and Gabon in August 2023, Guinea in September 2021, and Burkina Faso in January 2022 due to various political crises and military coups. Mali also remains excluded despite pushing for its suspension to be lifted in February 2023.
The 46th Ordinary Session of the AU Executive Council concluded on Friday, paving the way for the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government. In addition to continental delegates, 14 heads of international institutions are present as observers and guests of honor.
Birtukan Ayano (Amb.), a state minister of Foreign Affairs, told journalists earlier this week that the previous summit saw close to 8,000 participants, including 25 presidents, 11 first ladies, six prime ministers, nine vice presidents, and three foreign ministers.
This year’s theme, ‘Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations,’ is expected to attract 15,000 participants, according to government communications officers.
A notable side event is the High-Level Strategic Dialogue on Accelerating Visa-Free Movement for Africa’s Transformation, co-hosted by the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Development Bank (AfDB).
The Africa Visa Openness Index highlights the visa policies of various African countries, with Ethiopia offering visa-on-arrival to citizens of 46 countries and ranking 19th in visa openness.
During the event on February 12, Kassahun Gofe, minister of Trade and Regional Integration, indicated Ethiopia’s inclination towards easing visa policies for investors.
It is expected the AU heads of state session to review the continent’s progress towards achieving justice and reparations for historical injustices, including colonialism, apartheid, slavery, and the transatlantic slave trade.
Another key agenda item is the African Union Commission elections, with candidates vying for the positions of Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson.
Mahmoud Ali Youssouf of Djibouti, Raila Amolo Odinga of Kenya, and Richard Randriamandrato of Madagascar are vying for chairperson. Salah Francis and Selma Malika from Algeria, Mohamed Ahmed Fathi and Hanan Morsy from Egypt, Najat M. Elhajjaji of Libya, and Latifa Akharbach of Morocco are vying for deputy chairmanship.
Elections will also cover commissioners for various departments, including Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment (ARBE), Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals (ETTIM).
Bankole Adeoye was re-elected on Thursday, February 13, 2025, to head the Political Affairs, Peace, and Security (PAPS) department.
The ongoing session underscores the urgency of addressing challenges such as threats to democratic governance, peace, and security. Data from the World Bank indicates that, as of July 2024, 22 African countries are at high risk of debt distress, necessitating debt restructuring.
