President Bola Tinubu has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to attend the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU) Heads of State and Government.
The President landed on Thursday night and was welcomed at the airport by Ethiopia’s Deputy Chief of Protocol, Eshetu Legesse, alongside Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, and the Chargé d’Affaires at the Nigerian Embassy in Ethiopia, Ambassador Nasir Aminu.
Following his arrival, Ambassador Tuggar briefed President Tinubu on the summit’s agenda and highlighted recent diplomatic achievements for Nigeria during a session that extended into the early hours of Friday, concluding around 2 a.m.
Among the wins was the re-election of Ambassador Bankole Adeoye as African Union commissioner for political affairs, peace and security. Nigeria also retains its seat on the African Union peace and security council, reaffirming, in the words of Ambassador Tuggar, “Nigeria’s leadership and commitment to peace and security on the continent”.
Present at the briefing were several key officials, including Minister of Finance Wale Edun; Minister of Defence Abubakar Badaru; Minister of Trade and Investment Jumoke Oduwole; Minister of Aviation Festus Keyamo; Minister of Information and National Orientation Muhammed Idris; Minister of Environment Balarabe Abbas Lawal; and Minister of State for Finance Doris Uzoka-Anite.
This year’s African Union (AU) Summit is themed “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations,” with a focus on reparatory justice and fostering racial healing.
President Tinubu is set to deliver an address at the summit-level meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Council, where discussions will center on pressing security issues on the continent, including the intensifying conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The President is expected to return to Abuja on Monday, February 17.