39th AU summit outcomes: does the AU focus on the right priorities?

The 39th African Union (AU) summit took place amid geopolitical uncertainty and ongoing AU reforms. This seminar will explore peace and security decisions taken at the summit and the prospects for AU action in Africa in 2026, including under this year’s theme of sustainable water and sanitation. This event aims to generate policy-relevant insights that strengthen AU institutional effectiveness, coordination and Africa’s developmental trajectory under Agenda 2063. This event is co-hosted by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and the Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS). Simultaneous French-English interpretation will be provided. Moderator: Dr Joseph Sany, Senior Research Fellow, ISS and former vice-president of the United States Institute for Peace Panelists: HE Willy Nyamitwe, Ambassador of Burundi to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the AU Michelle Ndiaye, Africa Director, Open Society Foundations, former special representative of the AU Commission chairperson and head of the AU Liaison Office in the Democratic Republic of the Congo This event is funded by the government of the Netherlands. The ISS is also grateful for support from the members of the ISS Partnership Forum: the Hanns Seidel Foundation, the European Union, the Open Society Foundations and the governments of Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.