By Carlos Lopes Pereira
February 20, 2026

The author, a former member of the Secretariat of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC), writes about African events for Avante!, the newspaper of the Portuguese Communist Party, which published this article Feb. 19. Translation: John Catalinotto

The 39th African Union (AU) summit, held Feb. 14 – 15 in Addis Ababa, concluded with a call for peace, security and continental unity.

More than 50 heads of state and government or their representatives, meeting in the Ethiopian capital, emphasized strategic priorities and highlighted Africa’s shared responsibility to address conflicts, advance development and strengthen continental governance.

Under the theme “Ensuring sustainable availability of water and safe sanitation systems to achieve the goals of Agenda 2063,” African leaders reaffirmed their commitment to long-term development and regional integration. At the end of the proceedings, Burundi’s head of state, Évariste Ndayishimiye, elected AU President for 2026 (replacing João Lourenço of Angola), and AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, highlighted that the summit’s attention focused on peace, security and other key issues such as internal reforms, Africa’s commitment to the G20 and the advancement of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

The summit addressed the necessary reforms of the United Nations Security Council, calling for Africa to obtain two permanent seats with veto power and five non-permanent seats, reflecting the continent’s growing global influence.

Mahmoud Ali Youssouf reaffirmed a “zero tolerance” stance on unconstitutional changes of government and reiterated the AU’s determination to “silence the guns,” valuing peace and stability as prerequisites for unity and sustainable development across Africa.

Condemn blockade of Cuba

Significant was the position, long held, adopted by the summit of African countries regarding Cuba and Palestine.

The assembly approved, for the 17th consecutive time, a resolution condemning the U.S. economic, commercial and financial blockade against Cuba. The text includes the AU’s call for Washington to remove the Caribbean nation from the unilateral and unjustified list of countries that allegedly sponsor terrorism, emphasizing the arbitrary nature of such a designation.

The resolution reaffirms, once again, the deep ties of history, politics and solidarity that unite the African and Cuban peoples. It is a clear expression of support for the elimination of this measure, which they consider “unfair, illegal and contrary to the principles of international law and the sovereignty of states.”

Full solidarity with Palestine

In the summit’s final declaration, African leaders called for the State of Palestine to be granted full membership in the United Nations, in line with the majority support of the international community. They stressed that this measure represents the legitimate right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and an end to foreign occupation.

They strongly condemned any attempt to forcibly displace the Palestinian population. They warned of the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, where the blockade and the ban on medical and relief aid are putting the lives of millions of civilians at risk. And they reiterated their full solidarity with the Palestinian struggle for freedom and the establishment of an independent state.