Following the African Union’s permanent membership in the G20 and South Africa’s historic Presidency in 2025, the African Union is prioritizing preparation for the 2026 United States G20 Presidency. To ensure the continent remains coordinated, influential, and strategically positioned, the African Union is convening a pivotal AU G20 Retreat,hosted by the Republic of Equatorial Guinea.
The Retreat brings together Member States, technical financial institutions, and key partners to assess achievements and lessons learnt from the 2025 Presidency as well as examine the 2026 United States priorities including Economic Growth, Deregulation, Energy Abundance, Trade, and Innovation to identify areas for strategic leverage. Central to the agenda is the alignment of AU Member States around common priorities under Agenda 2063 to ensure a smooth transition of leadership from Angola to Burundi in 2026 and adopt a Strategic Roadmap for engagement across all G20 tracks.
In his welcoming remarks, during the official opening ceremony H.E. Mr. Simeón Oyono Esono Angüe, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Diaspora of Equatorial Guinea, emphasized the necessity of collective action. "Our presence here underscores a turning point in our diplomacy. We are no longer observing global decisions; we are actively co-authoring them to ensure they reflect the realities of our people," he stated.
Setting the strategic direction for the retreat, H.E. Amb. Fathallah Sijillmasi, Director General of the African Union Commission stressed that the AU's permanent seat must be backed by a rigorous internal mechanism to drive the continent's agenda. "Our objective is to move beyond participation and toward impact by establishing the institutional framework necessary to ensure that Africa’s specific priorities from digital transformation to infrastructure financing are technically defended and politically supported at every level of the G20 process," Amb. Sijillmasi remarked.
Providing perspectives on the transition between Presidencies, H.E. Amb. Sara Silva, AU G20 Sous-Sherpa (Angola), reflected on the progress achieved during the previous cycle, highlighting the important gains made under South Africa’s historic G20 Presidency, including stronger visibility of Africa’s priorities within global economic discussions and enhanced coordination among AU Member States. She underscored the importance of preserving institutional memory and ensuring continuity as the African Union advances into the 2026 cycle.
Additionally, H.E. Mr. Mahamat Ali Hassan, Chairperson of the PRC Sub-Committee of the Whole on Economic and Trade Matters (Chad) reminded participants that economic sovereignty remains central to the realisation of Aspiration 7 of Agenda 2063, which seeks to position Africa as a strong, united, resilient, and influential global actor. He emphasised that strengthening domestic productive capacity, advancing industrialisation, promoting fair trade, and reducing structural dependencies are essential to enhancing Africa’s voice and bargaining power within global governance platforms such as the G20.
In her opening statement, H.E. Mrs. Francisca Tatchouop Belobe, AU Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals, and AU G20 Sherpa, addressed recent developments relating to the United States G20 Presidency, including the non-extension of an invitation to South Africa. She noted that the African Union has engaged through the appropriate diplomatic channels, stressing that such development risks undermining the inclusivity and consensus-based principles that have long guided the G20 process. She reaffirmed that the AU will continue to engage partners and Member States to safeguard Africa’s collective interests and ensure the full and effective participation of African members within the G20 framework.
“To fulfil the vision of Agenda 2063, our participation must be substantive and strategic. This Retreat is about transforming Africa’s permanent seat in the G20 into tangible development gains across the continent.” She further emphasised that, “Even within this unique context, Africa must remain focused on securing the greatest possible outcomes from the 2026 G20 cycle by advancing Agenda 2063 priorities, strengthening coordinated participation, and ensuring the continent’s voice remains visible and influential across all G20 workstreams. We must draw on the expertise of African Union knowledge partners and the experience of previous AU G20 Sherpas and Sous-Sherpas to sustain continuity and strategic engagement. Africa must continue to derive maximum value from the United States G20 Presidency as we look ahead to the restoration of regular order under the United Kingdom G20 Presidency in 2027.”
The retreat integrates the priorities of the Second Decade of Action of Agenda 2063 into the 2026 global discourse. H.E. Ambassador Willy Nyamitwe, Chairperson of the PRC (Burundi) and incoming sous-sharpa said, “The success of our permanent membership in the G20 will not be measured by our presence at the table, but by the tangible impact of our contributions. It will be measured by our ability to deliver results that accelerate Africa’s industrialization, address the heavy debt burdens facing our economies, and promote inclusive and equitable growth for the 1.4 billion Africans we represent ultimately advancing the aspirations of Agenda 2063:The Africa We Want.”
He called on Member States to use the Retreat to consolidate unity, refine common strategies, and prepare for the 2026 G20 cycle with clarity, coherence, and determination. He further underscored that recent developments within the G20 process highlight the need for stronger African solidarity, a unified voice, and coordinated action in safeguarding the continent’s interests within global governance structures.
H.E. Iván Bacale Ebe Molina, Minister of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development for Equatorial Guinea, addressed the economic imperatives of the 2026 roadmap. "As we look toward the 2026 cycle, our focus remains on the reform of the international financial architecture. We are here to ensure that global financial systems work for Africa’s industrialization and energy goals, rather than against them."
In closing the high-level opening session, H.E. Mr. Simeón Oyono Esono Angüe, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Diaspora of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, reaffirmed Equatorial Guinea’s full support for the African Union and its Member States in ensuring the success of the Retreat, and reiterated the country’s commitment to advancing collaboration, dialogue, and unity in pursuit of a more resilient, inclusive, and prosperous Africa.
The Retreat is expected to deliver key outcomes aimed at strengthening Africa’s participation and also seeks to align AU Member States around common priorities under Agenda 2063 and ensure coordinated engagement across the Sherpa and Finance Tracks. In addition, delegates will focus on strengthening coordination and continuity through a smooth transition from Angola’s tenure as AU Chair to Burundi in 2026, while deepening collaboration among AU institutions, Member States, and strategic partners.
A further expected outcome of the Retreat is the adoption of a Strategic Roadmap establishing a clear timeline and framework for Africa’s engagement across G20 working groups, ministerial meetings, and Leaders’ level processes.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union (AU).
