President Évariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi has been elected as the Chairperson of the African Union for the year 2026.

At the ongoing 39th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, it was officially announced that President Évariste Ndayishimiye is the new Chairperson of the Union.

The new Chairperson took over the responsibility from the 2025 AU Chairperson, President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço of Angola, and has officially commenced his duties following the handover ceremony.

Quick Context for Records:

• The Handover: This follows the AU's tradition of rotating the chairmanship annually among the five regions of the continent. President Ndayishimiye represents the East African region.
• The Predecessor: President João Lourenço (Angola) led the Union through 2025, focusing heavily on peace mediation in the Great Lakes region.
• The Current Summit: As this is happening right now in Addis Ababa (February 14, 2026), President Ndayishimiye will be presiding over the remaining sessions of the 39th Summit.