Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, SAVANNAH NEWSNOW REPORTS.
The summit, scheduled for February 14 and 15, 2026, will also feature the 30th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly.
Vice President Shettima was received on arrival at Bole International Airport by Ethiopia’s Minister of Innovation and Technology, Dr. Belete Mola; State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Berhanu Tsegaye; Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar; and other senior Nigerian and Ethiopian officials.
Briefing the Vice President on arrival, Ambassador Tuggar outlined Nigeria’s programme and engagements at the summit. This year’s meeting is themed “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063,” with discussions expected to centre on water security, sanitation, and long-term continental development.
Beyond the plenary sessions of Heads of State, Vice President Shettima is expected to participate in high-level side events and hold bilateral meetings with political and business leaders to advance Nigeria’s diplomatic, economic, and strategic interests across Africa.
Speaking to journalists, Ambassador Tuggar said the planned launch of the Regional Partnership for Democracy (RPD) reflects a deliberate effort to deepen and strengthen democratic culture on the continent.
He also disclosed that Nigeria is already recording gains from its AU engagements, including confirmation as host of the African Monetary Institute and the African Central Bank, as well as Nigeria’s nomination to the board of the bank.
The summit outcomes are expected to further position Nigeria as a key player in shaping Africa’s governance, economic integration, and development agenda.
