AU’s 24th Extraordinary Session of the Executive Council underway in Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa, April 15, 2025 (FMC) – The 24th Extraordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union has commenced at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The Executive Council will appoint one member of the Peace and Security Council, one member of the African Union Commission on International Law (AUCIL), and one Member of the African Space Council (AfSC), AU said.
The Executive Council will also deliberate on the draft report on the election of two Commissioners, i.e. the Commissioner for Economic Development, Tourism, Trade, Industry, Mining (ETTIM), and the Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (ESTI).
Addressing the session, Chairperson of African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf highlighted those major external and internal complex matters that have been increasingly facing the African continent.
Speaking on the behalf of Ethiopia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Gedion Timothewos, Ambassador Hirut Zemen highlighted the extraordinary global situations, among others, adverse impacts of climate change, geopolitical tensions, conflicts, date, burden, humanitarian crisis and uncertainties in global trade.
She also urged the African Union to be proactive in navigating these challenges with wisdom and farsighted leadership.
It is noteworthy that the Assembly of Heads of State and Government is the AU’s supreme policy and decision-making organ. It comprises all Member State Heads of State and Government. The Assembly determines the AU’s policies, establishes its priorities, adopts its annual programme and monitors the implementation of its policies and decisions.
The Executive Council coordinates and takes decisions on policies in areas of common interest to Member States. It is answerable to the Assembly. It considers issues referred to it and monitors the implementation of policies formulated by the Assembly. The Executive Council is composed of foreign ministers or such other ministers or authorities as are designated by the governments of Member States.
The Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) comprises Permanent Representatives to the Union and other plenipotentiaries of Member States. The PRC conducts the day-to-day business of the African Union (AU) on behalf of the Assembly and Executive Council. It reports to the Executive Council, prepares the Council’s work and acts on its instructions All AU Member States are members of the PRC.