Addis Ababa, February 17, 2026 (FMC) — More than 20,000 participants, including 41 heads of state, 48 foreign ministers, 12 first ladies, and senior delegation members, attended the 39th African Union Summit and the Second Italy–Africa Summit, State Minister for Foreign Affairs and Head of the National Organizing Committee, Ambassador Berhanu Tsegaye, told the press.
Highlighting the successful completion of both summits, Ambassador Berhanu said visiting leaders and their delegations were provided standard reception and farewell arrangements from their arrival at Bole International Airport through the summits and their departure.
He noted that the summits demonstrated Ethiopia’s effective use of multilateral and bilateral platforms at various levels to advance its national interests.
During the summits, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed held key bilateral discussions with leaders of several countries, while Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos engaged with his counterparts to strengthen international cooperation.
The State Minister highlighted Ethiopia’s capacity to host major international conferences, pointing to the participation of 1,225 media professionals who covered the summits and effectively promoted the country’s image.
Ambassador Berhanu concluded by thanking all individuals and institutions that contributed to the successful completion of the events.
It is noteworthy that at the 39th African Union Summit, African leaders convened under the theme “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063,” reaffirming water security, sanitation, and climate resilience as continental priorities.
The summit focused on advancing cooperation on socio‑economic development challenges, including water scarcity, climate change adaptation, food security, and public health — core components of the AU’s 50‑year Agenda 2063 framework. Leaders also deliberated on continental unity, peace and security issues, and strategic economic integration.
The Second Italy–Africa Summit, held alongside the African Union meeting, brought together African and Italian leaders to deepen political and economic cooperation. The summit emphasized long‑term partnerships under Italy’s Mattei Plan for Africa, targeting collaboration in sectors such as energy, infrastructure, agriculture, and innovation, and reaffirmed commitments to expand trade, investment, and strategic ties between Italy and African countries.