Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to lead the country’s delegation at the 48th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union (AU).
Mr. Ablakwa was received this morning by Ambassador Dr. Robert Afriyie, who serves as Ghana’s Head of Embassy and Permanent Representative to the AU and UNECA.
During his stay in the Ethiopian capital, the minister is scheduled to participate in bilateral discussions and side meetings with representatives from various countries and international organisations.
President John Dramani Mahama is expected to attend the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, scheduled for February 14-15, 2026, in Addis Ababa. He will be joined by First Lady Mrs. Lordina Mahama, Foreign Minister Ablakwa, and other senior government officials.
The President will host a High-Level Breakfast Convening on Strategic Partnership focusing on ‘The Accra Reset Initiative’ at AU Headquarters during the visit.
This year’s AU Summit centres on the theme “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063.” Citizens have been urged to draw inspiration from this theme and rally behind the President’s campaign against illegal mining, which has severely compromised the nation’s water resources.
The President’s determination to restore degraded water bodies has been noted as worthy of recognition. Since taking office, he has pledged to rescue water bodies affected by illegal mining operations and has actively pursued this objective.
However, officials stress that presidential efforts alone cannot guarantee success without active citizen participation and cooperation. This has prompted calls for widespread public engagement in combating the problem.
The campaign to rehabilitate the country’s water bodies has been described as a fight for national survival, touching on the shared interests of all Ghanaians. Observers note that while political leadership changes over time, the nation’s collective interests endure, necessitating unified action.
Source: David Quaye, ISD, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia