African Union Leaders Discuss Middle East Crisis and Financial Reforms

The Executive Council of the African Union concluded its 49th Ordinary Session on July 29, 2026, at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. During the two-day summit, ministers and representatives focused on strategic policy matters, continental integration, and the implementation of Agenda 2063.

Leaders expressed alarm over the resumption of conflict in the Middle East, stating that the instability is triggering a severe economic and security crisis across Africa. They specifically identified soaring prices, supply chain disruptions, and energy shocks as primary consequences of the conflict. Claver Gatete, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, addressed the session regarding these challenges.

On the sidelines of the session, African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf conducted bilateral meetings with ministers from South Africa, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, the Central African Republic, Gabon, and Libya. These talks centered on regional mediation, migration governance, and the financial sustainability of the union.

The council also reached several financial milestones. Burundi committed to a 0.2 per cent levy, while Angola, Ethiopia, and Kenya joined the union's Tier One contributors. The session ended with preparations for the Eighth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting, scheduled for October 4, 2026, in El Alamein, Egypt.