President of Burundi, Évariste Ndayishimiye has been elected as the new chairperson of the African Union (AU).
He takes over the rotating leadership from Angola’s João Lourenço at the 39th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Reflecting on Angola’s year as AU Chair, Lourenço highlighted progress in advancing Agenda 2063, mobilizing investment for infrastructure, strengthening continental integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and promoting reforms to improve AU efficiency and reduce bureaucracy.
Lourenço further called for accelerated action to ensure “sustainable water availability and safe sanitation systems, the 2026 AU theme, describing access to water as a political, moral and strategic priority essential for Africa’s development.”
Évariste Ndayishimiye’s election comes at a time of mounting geopolitical pressure, with persistent conflicts, institutional fragility and a resurgence of unconstitutional changes of government across parts of the continent
President Ndayishimiye is expected to complete his tenure by 2027.
