AU Summit on Industrialization
Real-time coverage from Addis Ababa โ Day 2 of the Extraordinary Summit on Industrialization and Economic Diversification across Africa.
Ethiopia Commits $2B to AfCFTA Industrial Parks
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announces a $2 billion sovereign commitment to the African Continental Free Trade Area industrial parks fund. The investment targets textile, pharmaceutical, and automotive manufacturing zones in Dire Dawa and Hawassa. "This is not charity โ this is strategic industrial positioning," Ahmed told delegates.
Nigeria & South Africa Sign Critical Minerals Agreement
Presidents Tinubu and Ramaphosa ink a bilateral agreement establishing a joint venture for lithium refining in South Africa's Northern Cape. The deal includes technology transfer clauses and a commitment to process 30% of DRC-mined lithium within Africa by 2028.
PAPSS Expansion to 12 Additional Countries
AU Commissioner for Infrastructure Amani Abou-Zeid announces the Pan-African Payment & Settlement System will launch in 12 new countries by Q4 2026. The expansion includes Francophone West Africa and the Horn, reducing cross-border transaction costs by an estimated 40%.
Kenya Proposes Continental Green Hydrogen Alliance
President William Ruto invites Namibia, Morocco, and Egypt to form a green hydrogen production and export bloc. The proposal includes shared infrastructure for ammonia shipping and a continental certification standard for green hydrogen.
Summit Opens with Call for "Industrial Sovereignty"
AU Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat delivers the opening keynote, urging member states to reduce dependency on imported manufactured goods. "Africa consumes what it does not produce, and produces what it does not consume. This must end."
Delegates Arrive for Day 2
Heads of state and ministers from 48 African Union member states gather at the AU Headquarters for the second day of the 3-day Extraordinary Summit on Industrialization and Economic Diversification.
Key Speakers Today
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Abiy AhmedPM, Ethiopia
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Moussa FakiAU Chairperson
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Bola TinubuPresident, Nigeria
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Cyril RamaphosaPresident, South Africa
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William RutoPresident, Kenya
