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The 48th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union convenes in Addis Ababa from 11 to 12 February 2026, marking one of the most consequential policy moments ahead of the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government.
Held at the Mandela Conference Hall at the African Union headquarters, the Executive Council brings together Ministers of Foreign Affairs and designated ministers from AU Member States, serving as the Union’s central policy coordination organ. Its role is not ceremonial. This body shapes the decisions that eventually reach Africa’s presidents and prime ministers.
This session is taking place at a time when Africa is negotiating its position in a rapidly shifting global order, with pressure mounting around representation, financing, peace and security, and institutional reform.
At the core of the Executive Council’s mandate is the implementation of Agenda 2063, the continental framework that defines Africa’s long term political, economic, and social transformation.
What Is on the TableAccording to the official media advisory, the Executive Council will deliberate on several priority issues that directly affect Africa’s collective future.
These include:
Reviewing the Report of the 51st Ordinary Session of the Permanent Representatives’ Committee, which reflects the groundwork laid by ambassadors and permanent representatives in Addis Ababa.
Deliberating on African Union participation in the G20, a critical discussion as Africa pushes for meaningful influence rather than symbolic inclusion in global economic governance.
Conducting elections and appointments to AU organs and institutions, decisions that shape leadership, accountability, and institutional direction across the continent.
Reviewing the implementation of Executive Council decisions on the SACA process, addressing institutional governance and coordination challenges within the Union.
Considering draft legal instruments and governance frameworks, reinforcing the legal and policy architecture of the African Union.
These discussions are not abstract. They determine how Africa speaks in global forums, how it funds its priorities, and how its institutions function beyond summit statements.
Why This Session MattersThe Executive Council sits at the intersection of diplomacy and decision making. While the Assembly captures headlines, it is here where consensus is built, tensions negotiated, and compromises structured.
As Africa navigates questions around peace and security, economic sovereignty, climate vulnerability, and demographic pressure, the outcomes of this session will directly influence how prepared the continent is to act collectively rather than react individually.
The timing is equally significant. With high level side events on health financing, gender commitments, digital health, private sector engagement, and child survival taking place around the AU Summit, the Executive Council’s decisions will ripple across multiple sectors.
Media and TransparencyJournalists have been invited to cover the official opening and closing ceremonies of the session. The African Union Commission has indicated that further details on livestreams, press conferences, and interview opportunities will be communicated through official AU channels.
This reflects an ongoing push toward institutional openness, even as questions remain about how accessible AU decision making truly is to African citizens.
A Continent Still BuildingAfrica is often compared to older political unions and nation states with centuries of institutional memory. That comparison ignores reality. The African Union, like many African states themselves, is still young, still evolving, and still negotiating the balance between sovereignty and integration.
What matters is not perfection, but direction.
The 48th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council is another step in that direction. It is where Africa refines its voice, strengthens its systems, and decides how seriously it wants to be taken on the global stage.
The work is unfinished. The challenges are real. But the fact that these conversations are happening, led by Africans, on African soil, is itself a reminder that the continent is not standing still. It is learning, adjusting, and steadily shaping its own future.
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