 H.E. Gedion Timothewos (PhD), Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia;
 Honorable Ministers and Members of the Executive Council of the Union;
 H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission;
 H.E. Claver Gatete, Executive Secretary of UNECA;
 Distinguished Vice-Chairperson of the African Union Commission;
 Distinguished Commissioners of the African Union Commission;
 Distinguished Heads and Representatives of the Organs of the African Union;
 Distinguished Chief Executives and Representatives of the Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms;
 Distinguished Members of the Permanent Representatives’ Committee of the African Union;
 Dear invited guests;
 Ladies and Gentlemen;
 All protocol duly observed.

I would like to extend a special welcome to the Ministers who are participating for the first time.

It is with great honour and a profound sense of responsibility that I once again welcome you all to this meeting hall on the occasion of the Forty-Eighth Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union. I greet all Member States represented here, as well as institutional partners and invited guests, and thank you for your presence and continued commitment to our continental Organization.

Before proceeding, allow me, on behalf of the Executive Council of the African Union and in my own name, to express our deepest condolences to the Governments and peoples of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Republic of Mozambique, as well as to the bereaved families, following the loss of human lives caused by the recent catastrophic floods. In this moment of profound sorrow, we reiterate our fraternal solidarity and support, wishing strength and courage to the affected populations. May the souls of the victims rest in peace.

This statutory meeting carries particular significance, as it constitutes a crucial moment in our institutional calendar. This Session also marks the end of the mandate of the Republic of Angola in the rotating Presidency of the African Union. It is therefore an occasion for assessment, shared responsibility, and, above all, projection into the future of our Union.

The Executive Council occupies a strategic place within the institutional architecture of the African Union. It is within this organ that coherence of continental policies is ensured, common positions are harmonized, and structural decisions guiding the action of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government are prepared. Its role is therefore decisive for the credibility, effectiveness, and relevance of the African Union in both the African and international contexts.

This is also an opportunity to thank all Member States for the support granted during our mandate, as well as our brother Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, the Vice-Chairperson, the Commissioners, all members of the Commission and the organs of the African Union.

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Throughout its tenure at the helm of the Executive Council, the Republic of Angola has guided its action by a pragmatic, inclusive, and results-oriented approach.

Regarding the Ordinary Sessions, we presided over the Forty-Seventh Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union, whose objectives were successfully achieved thanks to the support and commitment of all Member States. We are now convened at the Forty-Eighth Session with the determination to responsibly conclude pending dossiers and lay solid foundations for the subsequent stages of our collective work
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In the area of Structural Reforms of the African Union, significant progress has been recorded. We particularly highlight the conclusion of the process of selecting the leadership of our Organization, the commencement of the implementation of the SACA process, as well as efforts undertaken to revitalize the working methods of the Union’s organs, with a view to making them more efficient, predictable, and aligned with the ambitions of Agenda 2063, known as “The Africa We Want.”

Within the framework of Multilateralism, Angola promoted active and constructive diplomacy, contributing to the organization of important ministerial meetings that created political conditions for the holding of TICAD 9 in Yokohama, Japan, as well as the 7th African Union–European Union Summit, hosted in Luanda, Republic of Angola. These milestones strengthened Africa’s voice in global fora and consolidated strategic partnerships based on mutual respect and shared interests.

In the field of Peace and Security, the Republic of Angola made a consistent and continuous contribution at technical, diplomatic, and political levels during its two-year mandate on the Peace and Security Council of the African Union.

This commitment was reflected, among other efforts, in supporting the designation of H.E. Évariste Ndayishimiye, President of the Republic of Burundi, as Facilitator for the Sahel Region, and H.E. Faure Gnassingbé, President of the Council of Ministers of the Togolese Republic, as African Union Mediator in the conflict between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Rwanda.

Angola also supports all initiatives aimed at promoting peace, stability, and reconciliation across the African continent, notably in the Central African Republic, Somalia, Sudan, and South Sudan, among other conflict situations.

These efforts were always undertaken in close collaboration with Member States, the African Union Commission, and the Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms, as well as international and bilateral partners, within a spirit of complementarity, solidarity, and shared responsibility.

Excellencies,

During the two days of deliberations of this Forty-Eighth Ordinary Session, the Executive Council will consider a set of key agenda items. It will first examine the reports of the 51st Ordinary Session of the Permanent Representatives’ Committee, as well as the participation of the African Union in the G20, reflecting on the strategic positioning of our continent in global governance fora. It will also proceed with important elections and appointments of new members to the Union’s organs, ensuring that they are endowed with competent and representative leadership.

Progress in the implementation of decisions relating to the SACA process will be reviewed, along with the consideration of legal instruments and the reports of specialized ministerial committees, particularly those concerning financial contributions, African candidatures in the international system, and the monitoring of Agenda 2063.

With regard to financial contributions, we reiterate the importance of all Member States unequivocally supporting the African Union through the implementation of Assembly Decision AU/Dec.938(XXXVIII) of February 2025, which mandated the Commission to formulate a new Scale of Assessment for consideration and adoption by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government in February 2026, in accordance with due process.

The current Scale of Assessment is outdated, and the adoption of a new scale based on the principles of solidarity, equity, and capacity to pay is therefore necessary. The options proposed by the F15 technical experts, particularly options 3 and 4, allow for a more balanced distribution of contributions, strengthen financial resilience, and support the achievement of the Johannesburg self-financing targets.

It is important to emphasize that the decision of the Republic of Angola to remain in Tier 1 for the 2027–2029 cycle facilitates consensus, making the harmonization of the presented options necessary.

We thus reaffirm our firm commitment to strengthening the institutional framework of the Organization and to building a more sustainable, united, and responsive African Union capable of addressing the continent’s priorities, in a spirit of shared responsibility and cooperation among Member States.

Finally, we shall prepare the agenda and decisions of the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, which require prior consideration and adoption by this Executive Council Session.

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

In this context, I call for the active engagement, constructive collaboration, and sense of responsibility of all Member States to ensure the smooth conduct of our work and the fulfilment of the tasks entrusted to us.

I also appeal for flexibility, dialogue, and mutual understanding, particularly in addressing the more sensitive dossiers, whose decisions will have lasting impacts on the future of our continent.

May the spirit of Pan-Africanism and the founding principles of the African Union inspire us at all times, so that we may adopt fruitful, concrete, and realistic decisions, worthy of the aspirations of present and future generations.

The world will not wait for us in the face of the transformations we are witnessing; we can only defend our interests by upholding these values.
With these words, I hereby officially declare open the Forty-Eighth Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union.

Thank you very much for your attention.