Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama has been elected First Vice Chair of the African Union (AU) for 2026, ahead of his anticipated assumption of the Union’s Chairmanship in 2027.

Meanwhile, President of Burundi, Évariste Ndayishimiye, secured the Chairperson position.

President Ndayishimiye takes over from Angola’s João Lourenço at the 39th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Addressing the Assembly on February 14, 2026 in Addis Ababa, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the AU Commission, themed the summit around 2026’s focus on water and sanitation, describing access to water as a shared public good essential for both development and peace.

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He emphasised that the meeting comes amid increasing geopolitical turbulence on the continent, marked by persistent conflicts, institutional fragility, and a resurgence of unconstitutional changes of government.

The Thirty-Ninth (39th) Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the AU kicked off at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, with a strong call for African solidarity, financial independence, and a collective push to shape the global agenda.

The two-day summit, held under the theme “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063,” saw the election of a new AU Chair for 2026 and reinforced messages on the urgent need for peace and institutional reform.

Here’s the full list of the new Bureau of the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union for 2026:

• Chair of the African Union – Republic of Burundi (Central Africa)

• First Vice Chair – Ghana (West Africa) – President John Dramani Mahama

• Second Vice Chair – Tanzania (East Africa)

• Third Vice Chair – To be confirmed (North Africa Region)

• Rapporteur – Angola (Southern Africa)

SP/MA

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