Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye Leads AU Chair 2026, Addresses Xenophobia

Burundi’s President Evariste Ndayishimiye, who will chair the African Union in 2026, said the continent must deepen unity, regional integration and sustainable development. He highlighted the AU’s 2026 agenda on water, sanitation, conflict resolution, economic growth and the African Continental Free Trade Area, linking these goals to the broader Agenda 2063.

He warned that recurring xenophobic attacks on African migrants in South Africa threaten the AU’s pan‑African vision and could strain diplomatic relations with affected member states. In parallel, Burundi launched the 2026 Pan‑African Diaspora Week, inviting African professionals abroad to dialogue on development, the implementation of Agenda 2063, the ZLECAf and Burundi’s Vision 2040‑2060. UN resident coordinator Violet Kakyomya praised Burundi’s leadership, and the event also called for formal recognition of the 1972‑73 genocide against Burundi’s Hutu population.