Ruto leads high-level talks on African Union reforms ahead of Luanda Summit
President William Ruto, in his capacity as the African Union (AU) Champion for Institutional Reforms, on Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting in Nairobi to review progress on the AU reform agenda ahead of the Special Summit on African Union Reforms set for November 26, 2025, in Luanda, Angola.
The meeting brought together members of the High-Level Panel on AU Governance, Peace and Security, the High Representative on Financing the Union, senior officials from the African Union Commission (AUC) led by the Chairperson, representatives from the Kenya Mission in Addis Ababa, and top officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including the Principal Secretary and the Special Envoy for the AU Reform Champion.
During the session, Ruto received a consolidated report containing key recommendations on priority areas of the AU reform agenda.
The proposals focus on the revitalization of peace and security frameworks, sustainable financing of the Union, operationalization of the African Court of Justice, streamlining the AU Assembly’s format and agenda, and categorization of Assembly and Executive Council decisions.
The discussions underscored the urgent need to revitalize the African Governance Architecture (AGA) and the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) to strengthen the continent’s ability to respond to complex and emerging peace and security challenges.
Among the major recommendations were calls to reposition Africa amid shifting global geopolitics, revive Pan-Africanism, and establish sustainable financing mechanisms for the AU.
The meeting also emphasized the need to enhance the efficiency of AU Assembly meetings and ensure decisions are categorized and implemented in line with the Union’s Rules of Procedure.
Ruto and participants reaffirmed the importance of renewed commitment by AU Member States and stakeholders to accelerate the institutional reform process. They stressed that completing these reforms is vital to creating a more effective and self-reliant Union capable of achieving the Agenda 2063 aspirations for a united, prosperous, and peaceful Africa.
The upcoming Luanda Summit is expected to adopt key decisions that will shape the future of AU governance, financing, and institutional effectiveness.
“The reform process of the African Union to make it a fit-for-purpose organisation is gaining momentum amid consultations with various stakeholders.”
As Champion of the AU Institutional Reforms, a role fellow heads of State privileged me to lead, I have witnessed the commitment of African leaders to making the AU effective, efficient and responsive to issues that the continent holds dear,” said Ruto.
These, he added, include the AU’s peace and security architecture, financing, governance architecture, making the African Court of Justice operational, and the Pan-African Parliament effective.