Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has arrived in Luanda, Angola, ahead of a high-level African Union summit focused on strengthening the continent’s mechanisms for preventing and resolving conflicts.
The Minister arrived at the Dr Antonio Agostinho Neto Angola International Airport on Tuesday evening and was received by Ambassador Matias Pires of Angola’s Ministry of External Relations, according to a statement from the Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu was also received by officials of the Nigerian Mission in Angola, including the Acting Chargé d’Affaires, Ambassador Maxy Ogbede; Defence Attaché, Navy Captain Mohammed Adamu; Head of Consular Section, Dr Maxwell Anu-Okeke; and other members of the mission.
The 21st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union is scheduled to take place in Luanda on August 29 and 30, with the central theme of strengthening mechanisms for conflict prevention and resolution in Africa. The African Union has confirmed the summit dates and venue.
The AU says the summit is intended to strengthen Africa’s capacity to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts, with discussions expected to focus on preventive diplomacy, governance and coordination among continental and regional institutions.
Shettima to represent Tinubu
Vice President Kashim Shettima is expected in Luanda on Friday and will represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the high-level AU meeting, according to the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
The Minister is expected to receive the Vice President and participate in activities leading up to the summit.
The high-level Assembly session will be preceded by the 26th Extraordinary Session of the AU Executive Council on August 29. The Executive Council meeting is scheduled to take place at the InterContinental Hotel in Luanda, while the Assembly session will be held at the Luanda Convention Palace on August 30.
The AU said the extraordinary summit was convened against the backdrop of continuing peace and security challenges across the continent and the need to strengthen existing African mechanisms for addressing them.
Focus on conflict prevention
The summit comes as African governments seek stronger approaches to dealing with conflicts and their underlying causes.
The AU has said the meeting will provide an opportunity for strategic reflection at the highest level on strengthening conflict-prevention and resolution mechanisms.
The organisation is expected to consider ways of improving preventive diplomacy and coordination between the AU and Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs), with the objective of promoting African-led responses to conflicts.
The summit also builds on existing continental frameworks, including the African Peace and Security Architecture, which the AU identifies as a key mechanism for addressing peace and security challenges.
Nigeria’s diplomatic engagements
During her stay in Luanda, Odumegwu-Ojukwu is also expected to hold bilateral engagements, meet staff of the Nigerian Embassy and interact with members of the Nigerian community in Angola.
Nigeria’s participation comes as African leaders gather to discuss ways of strengthening continental capacity to prevent conflicts before they escalate and improve the coordination of responses when crises occur.
The AU has indicated that the Luanda meeting will be focused on strengthening mechanisms within the continental organisation rather than merely addressing individual conflicts.
The summit is therefore expected to place particular emphasis on how Africa can improve its own capacity to prevent and resolve conflicts and strengthen coordination among continental and regional institutions.
