ADDIS ABABA, 14 February 2026 – President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço of Angola has formally handed over the Chairpersonship of the African Union to President Évariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi during a ceremony held at the AU headquarters in Ethiopia.
Lourenço, who served as outgoing Chairperson of the continental body, delivered his statement before Heads of State and Government of AU Member States, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, and other dignitaries.
“It is with great honour and a deep sense of brotherhood that I extend, on behalf of the Angolan people and on my own behalf, the warmest congratulations to His Excellency President Évariste Ndayishimiye on his election as Chairperson pro tempore of the African Union,” Lourenço said.
He described the unanimous election of Ndayishimiye as a reflection of collective confidence in his leadership for the next twelve months. “This constitutes a firm assurance that you will safeguard our shared interests and objectives, drawing upon your wisdom and the nobility that characterises you in their implementation,” he said.
Lourenço wished the new Chairperson success in advancing unity, solidarity, peace, stability and inclusive development across the continent.
Looking ahead to 2026, he noted that the African Union had set a key priority under the theme “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063”. He described access to safe drinking water and sanitation as both a moral and political imperative requiring firm commitment from governments, companies, civic associations and communities.
“We will be much better equipped to solve this serious problem facing Africa if we join forces,” he said.
Addressing the new Chairperson directly, Lourenço acknowledged the weight of the task ahead. “You have a complex and demanding mission ahead of you, which will absorb a large part of your energy and time, but believe me when I say that it is worth putting all your effort into this relentless search for solutions in which all of us Africans are involved, so that we can finally break this cycle of underdevelopment in which we find ourselves. The outlook is encouraging if we all focus our attention and energy on achieving this goal.”
He also paid tribute to the African Union Commission, its Chairperson, technical staff and the team that supported him during his tenure. “I must acknowledge the remarkable work of the African Union Commission, its Chairperson, the technical staff and the entire team that accompanied me with dedication, competence and unparalleled commitment, deserving of my highest commendation for their service to the cause of restoring dignity and defining a clear and tangible horizon of progress and development for what Africa is and will become in the future,” he said.
Concluding his remarks, Lourenço expressed confidence that AU member states would rally behind the new leadership. “I am aware that all African nations look to you with renewed hope, expecting you to carry forward with dynamism the programmes that we ourselves have defined. I am equally confident that each of our countries will spare no effort in supporting you and providing essential contributions to the success of your mission. Thank you very much.”
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