Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister Arrives Luanda for 21st AU Extraordinary Session
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has arrived Luanda, Angola, ahead of the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU), scheduled to deliberate on “Strengthening Mechanisms for Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa.”
The Minister arrived at the Dr. Antonio Agostinho Neto Angola International Airport on Tuesday evening and was received by Ambassador Matias Pires of Angola’s Ministry of External Relations.
She was also received by officials of the Nigerian Mission in Angola, including the Acting Chargé d’Affaires, Ambassador Maxy Ogbede; Defence Attaché, Navy Captain Mohammed Adamu; Head of Consular Section, Dr. Maxwell Anu-Okeke; and other members of the Mission.
Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu is expected to receive Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima on Friday. The Vice President will represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the high-level AU meeting holding August 29th-30th, 2026.
During her stay in Luanda, the Minister is also expected to hold bilateral engagements, meet with staff of the Nigerian Embassy and interact with members of the Nigerian community in Angola.
The Extraordinary Summit will be preceded by the 26th Extraordinary Session of the AU Executive Council.
The high-level meeting is part of the AU’s continuing efforts to respond to the increasingly complex peace and security challenges confronting the continent. Despite progress recorded through the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), African Governance Architecture (AGA) and other continental mechanisms, political, socioeconomic, identity-related, environmental and security challenges continue to threaten stability and sustainable development.
The 38th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly, held in February 2025, underscored the need to adapt Africa’s peace, security and governance mechanisms to emerging realities. Similarly, the AU Peace and Security Council, under Angola’s chairmanship, reaffirmed in September 2025 the need to revitalise conflict prevention and resolution mechanisms, with greater attention to the structural causes of conflicts.
The 21st Extraordinary Session is expected to provide a platform for strategic reflection at the highest level on strengthening preventive diplomacy, promoting inclusive governance and enhancing coordination between the AU and the Regional Economic Communities/Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs), towards sustainable African-led solutions for lasting peace and stability.