Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to attend the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union Heads of State and Government.
The arrival was confirmed on Thursday by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications. Representing President Bola Tinubu, Shettima will also participate in the 30th Ordinary Session of the AU General Assembly, scheduled for 14–15 February 2026.
Shettima was received at Bole International Airport by Ethiopia’s Minister of Innovation and Technology, Belete Mola, alongside the Ethiopian State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Berhanu Tsegaye, and Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar.
Other officials in attendance included the Permanent Secretary in Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Ahmed; the Chargé d’Affaires of the Nigerian Embassy in Ethiopia, Ambassador Nasiru Aminu; and Ambassador-Designate Geoffrey Chima. Upon arrival, Ambassador Tuggar briefed Shettima on his summit schedule.
This year’s summit is themed, “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063,” with discussions focusing on sustainable water management and improved sanitation systems across Africa. Leaders will also review broader development objectives under the AU’s Agenda 2063 framework.
Beyond plenary sessions, the vice president is set to attend high-level side events and hold bilateral meetings with political and business leaders to strengthen Nigeria’s diplomatic, economic, and strategic partnerships.
Ambassador Tuggar described the launch of the Regional Partnership for Democracy (RPD) as “a strategic move to consolidate and strengthen the democratic culture in Africa.” He also highlighted Nigeria’s growing role at the summit, including hosting the African Monetary Institute and the African Central Bank, and its nomination to the bank’s board.
The vice president is accompanied by cabinet ministers and senior officials and is expected to return to Nigeria at the conclusion of his engagements in Addis Ababa.
