Addis Ababa - The 36th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) begins Saturday (18), with the main focus on peace on the continent and the creation of a free trade area.
Angolan President João Lourenço is among the leaders participating in the summit, held under the motto: "Speeding up the Implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Prior to the formal start of the AU Summit, João Lourenço, who also chairs the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), and AU mediator in the crisis between Rwanda and the DRC, brought together the leaders of Burundi, Kenya, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
The meeting, held on Friday (17th), discussed the conflict between Rwanda and the DRC, with the presence of the presidents of these countries.
Friday afternoon, the President João Lourenço also took part in the meeting of Peace and Security Council of the African Union, convened by South Africa as President of the Peace and Security Council of the continental organisation for the month of February.
João Lourenço, as AU Champion for Peace and Reconciliation, is expected to submit his first report during the African Union Assembly of the Heads of State and Government.
The Summit will analyse and approve strategic reports on the African Union, including on peace and security, regional integration, economic, financial, social and energy policies, as well as specific topics.
The opening session of the Summit will feature speeches by the President of Senegal and acting AU, Macky Sall, and the Head of State of the country that will take up the rotating presidency of the continental organisation, the Comoros.
Also addressing the event the chairman of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki, who is expected to present a report on the peace and security situation in Africa and the actions undertaken by the organisation linked to the matter.
The UN Secretary General, António Guterres, who has been in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, will also attend the ceremony.
The African Union (AU) was launched on 9 July 2002 in Durban by the former South African head of State. Thabo Mbeki.
African Union replaced the Organisation of the African Unity (OAU), created on 25 May 1963 in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia).
Consisting of the 55 member states that make up the countries of the African continent, the African Union (AU) is a continental body tasked with promoting democracy, peace, human rights and economic development of Africa. DC/AL/ADR
