Vice President Kashim Shettima on Thursday departed Abuja for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to represent President Bola Tinubu at the 2026 African Union (AU) Summit.

The summit, themed “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063,” will focus on continental strategies for sustainable water management, improved sanitation infrastructure, and broader development objectives under the AU’s Agenda 2063 blueprint.

While in Addis Ababa, Shettima is scheduled to participate in the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of AU Heads of State and Government and the 30th General Assembly on February 14 and 15, 2026. On the sidelines, he will attend high-level side events and hold bilateral meetings with political and business leaders to strengthen Nigeria’s diplomatic ties, economic cooperation, and strategic partnerships across Africa.

He is accompanied by cabinet ministers and senior government officials and is expected to return to Nigeria after completing his official engagements.

The 2026 AU Summit comprises several preparatory and statutory meetings, which include Permanent Representatives’ Committee (PRC) scheduled for January 12–30, 2026,

The Executive Council meeting, set aside to bridge ministerial and leadership levels.is slated for February 11–12, while the AU Assembly takes centre stage on February 14–15.

Key discussions at the summit will emphasize continental integration, stability, and resilience, including peace and security issues in Sudan, South Sudan, and the Sahel, elections within the Peace and Security Council, and advancing economic integration via AfCFTA, sustainable agriculture through CAADP, and reducing food imports.

Other focus areas include climate resilience initiatives such as the Great Green Wall, digital transformation, health interventions via Africa CDC, human capital development including youth empowerment, and institutional reforms with AU financing and strategic partnerships, including insights from South Africa’s G20 report.

Complementary sessions will cover education, governance, and health, with Africa CDC dialogues scheduled for February 13–14 on financing and manufacturing in the health sector.