Vice-President Kashim Shettima returned to Abuja on Sunday after leading Nigeria’s delegation at the 39th Ordinary Session of the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Representing President Bola Tinubu, Shettima participated in the summit held from Saturday to Sunday under the theme, ‘Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063’.
The session centred on advancing Africa’s collective commitment to sustainable water management and improved sanitation, critical components of the African Union’s long-term development blueprint, Agenda 2063. Discussions focused on bridging infrastructure gaps, fostering regional cooperation, and aligning national policies with the continental framework’s aspirations for inclusive growth and environmental sustainability.
Beyond the main assembly, Shettima engaged in high-level side events and held bilateral meetings with political and business leaders. These interactions aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s diplomatic, economic, and strategic partnerships across the continent, exploring opportunities for trade, investment, and collaborative projects.
A significant highlight was Shettima’s meeting with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. The Secretary-General urged Nigeria to assume a leadership role in Africa’s efforts to advocate for a reformed, more equitable global order—a call the Vice-President acknowledged as aligning with Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives.
During his interventions, Shettima advocated for a paradigm shift towards health security sovereignty in Africa. He stressed the urgency for the continent to reduce dependency on foreign aid by building resilient, self-sufficient health systems rooted in local innovation and production. This stance echoes growing continental calls for greater autonomy in health governance, a lesson amplified by recent global crises.
The summit concluded with renewed commitments to fast-track projects under Agenda 2063’s priority areas, including water security and sanitation. Nigeria’s active participation, underscored by the Vice-President’s engagements, signals its intent to play a central role in driving these continental agendas forward. Follow-up actions are expected through AU mechanisms and Nigeria’s subsequent diplomatic and technical engagements with member states and partners.
