ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- The 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU) concluded on Sunday, outlining Africa's priorities for 2026 and beyond.
The two-day meeting, which brought together leaders from AU member states at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, was held under the AU's 2026 theme: "Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063."
As the African continent, under the umbrella of the 55-member organization, focuses on continental water security in 2026, the summit deliberated on enhancing sustainable water management to power Africa's socio-economic development ambitions.
African leaders at the summit also discussed a range of issues related to the progress, challenges, and prospects of Africa's development and stability, as well as fostering continental unity to augment Africa's role in the wider global multilateral context.
As the AU's highest decision-making body, the assembly, among other things, reflected on the achievements and gaps marked under the second 10-year implementation plan of the AU's 50-year continental development blueprint, Agenda 2063, which runs from 2024 to 2033.
The summit also witnessed the election of Evariste Ndayishimiye, President of Burundi, as the chairperson of the AU for 2026, taking over the chairmanship from Angolan President Joao Lourenco.
In his comprehensive report on the achievements and activities undertaken during his chairmanship of the AU over the course of 2025, Lourenco highlighted progress in advancing Agenda 2063, mobilizing investment for infrastructure, strengthening continental integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and enhancing the AU's institutional efficiency. He also underscored the need to silence the guns across Africa as a critical imperative for a better continental future.
Ndayishimiye, for his part, emphasized his commitment, as the incoming AU chairperson, to strengthening Africa's global positioning toward building a fairer, more balanced, and inclusive world at a time of "unrelenting" security challenges, rising unilateralism, growing economic tensions, and the adverse effects of climate change.
AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf underscored some critical concerns currently facing Africa. These include the continent's inability to address peace and security perils across different regions, geopolitical uncertainties and global polarization with the rise of unilateralism and protectionism, the resurfacing of unconstitutional changes of government, financial and governance deficits, and climate change.
To address Africa's current challenges and realize the continent's development ambitions, Youssouf pointed out a number of priorities. These include accelerating Africa's industrialization, transforming the agriculture sector as the backbone of economies and livelihoods, harnessing Africa's energy potential, and developing high-performing infrastructure.
"These are the sine qua non conditions for the anticipated economic growth," he said. ■