LUANDA — Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Luanda, Angola, to represent President Bola Tinubu at the 21st Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, with the summit focused on strengthening Africa’s capacity to prevent and resolve conflicts.
Shettima arrived at the 4th February International Airport in Luanda at about 4:45 p.m. local time on Saturday ahead of the two-day summit scheduled for August 29 and 30, 2026. His arrival marked Nigeria’s participation in discussions expected to centre on peace, security and the continent’s response to ongoing conflicts.
The Vice President was received at the airport by Angola’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Esmeralda Medonca, alongside other senior Angolan government officials. Nigerian government representatives were also present to welcome Shettima upon his arrival in the Angolan capital.
Among the Nigerian officials at the airport were Foreign Affairs Minister Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu, Defence Minister Christopher Musa, Interior Minister Tunji Ojo and Minister of Regional Development Abubakar Momoh.
Also present were Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires in Angola, Mazy Ogbede; Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi; and the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa.
Shettima’s visit comes as African Union member states prepare to deliberate on the continent’s persistent security challenges. The summit is being held under the theme, “Strengthening Mechanisms for Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa.”
The theme places emphasis on improving existing African mechanisms for dealing with conflicts while encouraging stronger dialogue and cooperation among member states. The gathering is expected to provide leaders with an opportunity to examine how African countries can develop more coordinated approaches to peace and security.
Nigeria’s delegation is participating in the summit as Shettima represents President Tinubu at the high-level meeting. Following his arrival, the Vice President received a briefing from Foreign Affairs Minister Bianca Ojukwu and experts from the Nigerian Embassy concerning issues surrounding Nigeria’s participation.
The briefing formed part of preparations for the discussions scheduled during the summit, particularly those involving continental security and the effectiveness of mechanisms established by the African Union to prevent conflicts and promote stability.
Ahead of the leaders’ session, African foreign ministers and foreign-relations experts met in Luanda on Saturday as part of preparations for the 26th Extraordinary Session of the African Union Executive Council.
The Executive Council provides a forum through which AU member states engage in political consultations on matters affecting the continent. Conflict prevention and the promotion of peace and stability are among the issues expected to feature prominently in the deliberations.
The meetings are taking place against the wider backdrop of continuing security challenges across different parts of Africa. The summit’s focus on conflict prevention and resolution is therefore intended to encourage member states to strengthen cooperation and improve the continent’s collective response to instability.
The Luanda gathering is also expected to assess how effectively existing African Union instruments have performed in preventing and addressing conflicts. Discussions are expected to consider ways of making continental responses more coordinated and effective.
For Nigeria, Shettima’s participation provides an opportunity for the country to contribute to discussions on African peace and security while representing the position of the Nigerian government at the continental level.
The Vice President’s arrival also signals the beginning of Nigeria’s formal participation in the two-day programme, with the summit running from August 29 to August 30.
The African Union Assembly brings together the continent’s heads of state and government for discussions on major political, security and development issues. The Luanda session is placing particular attention on conflict prevention and resolution, reflecting the importance of peace and stability to the continent’s broader objectives.
The presence of foreign ministers and experts ahead of the main discussions is expected to support political consultations and help prepare the issues that will be considered by African leaders.
As the summit continues, participating countries are expected to examine existing approaches to conflict management and explore stronger mechanisms for preventing disputes from escalating into wider instability.
The Luanda summit is consequently positioned as an opportunity for African leaders to strengthen dialogue, review the continent’s peace and security mechanisms and pursue more unified responses to conflicts affecting member states.
Shettima is expected to participate in the summit on behalf of President Tinubu as African leaders and senior officials deliberate on practical measures for strengthening the continent’s capacity to prevent conflicts and promote lasting peace.
Shettima Arrives in Luanda for African Union Summit on Conflict Resolution
