The 37th African Union Summit of 2024 is currently underway in Addis Ababa, with leaders from member states participating in discussions and decision-making processes.
This year, the West African nation of Mauritania has been elected to chair the African Union, succeeding Comoros, which held the position in 2023.
President Mohamed Ould Ghazoni of Mauritania has assumed the role of Chairman of the African Union, succeeding President Azali Assoumani of Comoros.
The chairmanship of the African Union rotates among member states annually, granting each the opportunity to lead the organization.
President Mohamed’s election took place following the approval of the Foreign Affairs Ministers, who form the executive council of the Union.
Their endorsement was secured during a meeting held last Wednesday and Thursday. The presence of numerous leaders from member states and representatives of international development organizations enriches the discussions at this annual conference.
This year’s African Leaders Summit has placed a particular emphasis on education development across the continent.
The gust of the summit, Brazil’s President Lula da Silva, a founding member of BRICS, highlighted the importance of including more African countries in the membership of the G20 group of nations. President Lula emphasized that Africa’s participation is indispensable for global progress.
Acknowledging the significance of the African Union’s role on the international stage, Brazilian President Lula da Silva noted that the institution’s membership in the G20 was agreed upon during the previous year’s summit in Indonesia.
He urged for the expansion of this group to include more countries, underscoring the importance of Africa’s voice in global affairs.
In a statement issued by the Union, it was announced that participants from countries and institutions not invited as observers would not be accommodated.
The Union stressed that only representatives from authorized countries and institutions should attend, with each permitted no more than one delegate.
Furthermore, the Union called upon authorized participants to renew their permissions for attending African Union meetings as observers.
Ethiopia, as the host nation of the conference, has formally requested that Amharic be added as one of the working languages of the African Union.
Currently, English, French, Arabic, Portuguese, Spanish, and Kiswahili serve as the official languages of the African Union, reflecting the linguistic diversity of its member states.
The inclusion of Amharic would further enrich the linguistic landscape of the organization, reflecting its commitment to inclusivity and representation.
