Addis Ababa is hosting the 36th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Assembly from February 18-19, 2023. This follows the 42nd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council that was held on February 15-16, 2023, which resolved to uphold Africa’s resilience to challenges and achieve a successful implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
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Numerous dignitaries, including heads of state, ministers, and other senior officials, from nations across Africa will attend. Hundreds of other delegates, as well as business leaders and journalists, will also travel to the city for the Summit. Among leaders who have arrived are South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa, Kenya’s President William Ruto and Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame. Kagame has been attending a special meeting on the sidelines of the AU sessions – on the conflict in DR Congo and his country’s alleged support of the M23 rebels there.
It is expected that the Assembly will take stock of the progress made thus far in the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) following the start of trading on January 1, 2021. A slow-down has been experienced following the Covid-19 pandemic and its global economic impact.
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The Assembly will also consider a myriad of thematic issues such as the report on the activities of the Peace and Security Council (AU PSC), led by President Cyril Ramaphosa – and the state of peace and security in Africa; the election of the new Bureau of the AU Assembly for the year 2023; the AU Institutional Reform; appointments to various organs of the Union as well as reports of the leaders on specific thematic issues.