Namibia Participates in 38th AU Summit Focused on Justice and Reparations. The Hon. Dr. Peya Mushelenga, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, is leading the Namibian delegation to the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU). The Summit, taking place from February 15 to 16, 2025, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, is centered around the theme: “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations.”
H.E. Mr. Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, President of Mauritania, has concluded his tenure as the AU’s rotating Chairperson, handing over leadership to H.E. Mr. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of Angola. Additionally, this session marks the final Assembly for H.E. Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, the outgoing Chairperson of the AU Commission.
As per standard practice, the Assembly received addresses from key leaders, including H.E. Dr. Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of Ethiopia; H.E. Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine; H.E. Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations; and H.E. Mr. Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, Secretary General of the League of Arab States.
During the session, new leadership appointments were confirmed. H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Foreign Minister of Djibouti, is the incoming Chairperson of the AU Commission, while H.E. Selma Haddadi, Algeria’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the AU and UNECA, will serve as the new Deputy Chairperson.
As Angola assumes the AU Chairmanship, it will also represent the Southern Region in the Bureau, which has been elected as follows:
- Angola (Chair) – Southern RegionBurundi (First Vice Chair) – Central Region
- Ghana (Second Vice Chair) – Western Region
- Tanzania (Third Vice Chair) – Eastern Region
- Mauritania (Rapporteur) – Northern Region
The 38th AU Summit is expected to shape discussions on justice and reparations, reinforcing the AU’s commitment to advocating for Africans and people of African descent globally.