Shettima Represents Nigeria at AU-EU Summit in Luanda

Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Luanda, Angola, to represent President Bola Tinubu at the 7th African Union–European Union Summit, following the president’s cancellation of trips to South Africa and Angola due to urgent security issues in Nigeria. Shettima, who recently stood in for Tinubu at the G20 summit in Johannesburg, touched down at the summit venue on Monday afternoon dressed in white traditional attire and was accompanied by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar.

The summit, themed “Promoting Peace and Prosperity through Effective Multilateralism,” marks 25 years of AU-EU cooperation and is co-chaired by Angolan President and AU Chair João Lourenço and European Council President António Costa. With Africa-EU trade reaching nearly $410 billion in 2024, the event aims to boost partnerships in trade, security, and regional stability.

Shettima’s participation is expected to focus heavily on enhancing Africa–EU cooperation on security and trade, especially given recent threats to peace and stability in the region. He will also take part in thematic sessions on Peace, Security, and Migration.

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The two-day summit features speeches from high-profile international leaders, including the AU Commission Chairperson, European Commission President, the UN Secretary-General, and Angola’s President Lourenço. Closed-door discussions on Peace, Security, Governance, Prosperity, Migration, and Mobility will precede the adoption of the summit declaration and the concluding joint AU-EU press conference.

Shettima is slated to deliver Nigeria’s statement during a critical closed-door session dedicated to advancing peace and prosperity through multilateral cooperation between Africa and Europe.