African Union Summit 2026

The 39th Ordinary Session of the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government convenes at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa to chart collective action on shared continental challenges, including economic development, climate resilience, peace and security, and institutional reform.

While the Summit’s formal theme emphasises access to water and sustainable systems, digital transformation threads throughout the deliberations as an essential enabler of inclusive growth and regional integration.

Against the backdrop of the AU’s Agenda 2063, stakeholders at the Summit are expected to reinforce commitments to the roll-out of digital infrastructure, digital public services, and equitable access to digital skills and technologies. Emerging policy priorities such as digital trade under the AfCFTA, ethical AI adoption, secure data ecosystems, and regional connectivity efforts are anticipated to feature.

The summit will serve as a critical milestone following the 2025 agreement to declare AI a strategic priority. It will also offer an important opportunity to assess progress and obstacles in implementing the continent’s AI strategy, agreed in 2024.