49th Ordinary Session of AU Executive Council Gets Underway in Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa, July 28, 2026 (FMC) — The 49th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union got underway in Addis Ababa on Tuesday, bringing together foreign ministers and senior representatives of AU member states to deliberate on key continental priorities and advance the implementation of Agenda 2063.

The two-day session, taking place at the African Union Headquarters from July 28-29, is being held under the African Union’s 2026 Theme of the Year: “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063.”

The ministerial gathering follows the arrival in Addis Ababa over the past several days of foreign ministers and other senior officials from across the continent, who traveled to the Ethiopian capital to participate in the annual Executive Council meeting.

The Executive Council, comprising the foreign ministers of AU member states, is expected to review a broad range of reports and policy proposals on the African Union’s development agenda. Discussions will focus on progress in implementing Agenda 2063, the Union’s flagship blueprint for Africa’s long-term transformation, as well as the implementation of the 2026 AU Theme of the Year and the status of ratification and implementation of AU treaties and legal instruments.

The ministers are also expected to consider and adopt recommendations and draft decisions for submission to the Assembly of Heads of State and Government for further consideration.

The opening ceremony features addresses by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Ethiopia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Burundi’s Minister of Foreign Affairs in his capacity as Chairperson of the Executive Council.

As delegations from across the continent gather in Addis Ababa, the session is expected to reinforce cooperation among AU member states on shared priorities, with particular emphasis on improving water security and sanitation as key drivers of sustainable development and the realization of Agenda 2063.