49th Ordinary Session of African Union Executive Council Begins in Addis Ababa

Addis ababa: The 49th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Executive Council has officially commenced in Addis Ababa, bringing together foreign ministers from across the continent for high-level deliberations.According to Ethiopian News Agency, the session is anticipated to shape the African Union's policy agenda ahead of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government. Convened under the African Union's 2026 Theme of the Year, "Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safely Managed Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063," the two-day ministerial session is expected to forge coordinated strategies to address Africa's pressing development challenges while accelerating the continent's long-term vision for integration, prosperity, and sustainable development.The opening ceremony was attended by senior African and international leaders, including African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Ethiopia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Gedion Timothewos, United Nations Under- Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) Claver Gatete, and Burundi's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation, Édouard Bizimana, who is chairing the current Executive Council session.Foreign ministers from AU member states, senior government officials, diplomats, and representatives of regional and international organizations are participating in the meeting. During the two-day session, ministers are expected to deliberate on a wide range of strategic priorities aimed at deepening regional integration, strengthening cooperation among member states, and advancing the implementation of Agenda 2063, the African Union's blueprint for an integrated, prosperous, and peaceful continent.Key agenda items include reviewing progress on the implementation of Agenda 2063, assessing decisions and institutional frameworks adopted under both the former Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and the African Union, and evaluating achievements made u nder the AU's 2026 Theme of the Year. The Executive Council is also expected to formulate policy recommendations and draft decisions for consideration and adoption by the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government, reinforcing its central role in shaping the continent's political, economic, and development priorities.This year's deliberations place particular emphasis on strengthening water security, expanding access to safely managed sanitation services, enhancing climate resilience, and promoting sustainable natural resource management as critical drivers of Africa's socio-economic transformation and the realization of Agenda 2063. The 49th Ordinary Session of the AU Executive Council is scheduled to conclude on Wednesday, setting the stage for the forthcoming summit of African leaders in Addis Ababa.