AU Commission chair meets Eritrean envoy ahead of Luanda summit

African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf met Biniam Berhe, Eritrea's permanent representative to the AU and chargé d'affaires in Ethiopia, on August 27 to discuss the organisation's priorities and preparations for its forthcoming summit in Luanda, according to an AU readout.

The discussions covered the outcome of the 49th AU Executive Council session and preparations for the 21st Extraordinary Assembly. The AU says the heads-of-state summit, scheduled for August 30 in Angola's capital, will focus on strengthening conflict prevention and resolution. An extraordinary Executive Council session is scheduled for August 29.

The meeting follows earlier Eritrean engagement with the AU this year. Berhe led Eritrea's delegation to the February summit in Addis Ababa, where, according to Eritrea's Ministry of Information, it addressed institutional reform, peace and security, cooperation and member-state contributions.

In May, Youssouf reaffirmed the AU's commitment to working with Eritrea on peace, regional stability, integration and development. The August 27 readout announced no agreement or specific new initiative.