ADDIS ABABA, Feb 21 (ABP) – “Peace and security cannot be effective on our continent if there are still African countries being struck or attacked against a backdrop of geopolitical or economic interests of major powers,” declared the president of the Republic of Burundi, Evariste Ndayishimiye, in his speech delivered after accepting to assume the rotating presidency of the African Union (AU) for the year 2026, during the 39th ordinary session of the Assembly of Heads of states and governments of the AU held in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.
According to the Burundian president, the hope is that Africa’s voice will rise to advocate for respect for international law, the territorial integrity of African countries, the sovereignty of States, and the right of peoples to self-determination.
He also pointed out that no African country should be recolonized, invaded, or forced to submit to any foreign power in the 21st century. He added that the human values set out in the Charter of the United Nations should prevail.
President Ndayishimiye further warned that the African continent will not win the battle for development as long as bullets continue to whistle in some of its regions, noting that the situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, in the Sahel, in Somalia, in Sudan, and in the Central African Republic is a daily reminder of this.
According to him, the crises in these countries affect the entire continent in one way or another, emphasizing that each conflict slows economies and compromises the future of millions of young Africans.
To that end, he called on everyone to support the AU’s conflict prevention mechanisms and to speak with one voice to silence the guns.
According to the Burundian president and President of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the AU, the sustainable stabilization of this region calls for solidarity and commitment from all: African States, international partners, and regional actors.
“The Burundian Presidency of the AU will continue to fully assume its role as a catalyst, like Angola, so that joint efforts contribute to restoring peace, strengthening the resilience of populations, and opening sustainable prospects for development and stability,” he reassured.