The Namibian delegation, led by President Hage Geingob, has concluded its attendance at the 36th ordinary session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Worsening food crises, security threats, climate change, and post-COVID-19 economic recovery were some of the topics that dominated the two-day summit.

Key announcements made at the end of the summit on Sunday evening were that Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Sudan will remain under suspension from the African Union.

The four countries have been under military rule following coups between 2019 and 2022.

Ahead of the summit, military leaders in the respective countries had launched lobby campaigns to have the suspensions lifted, citing alleged progress in the transition to or return of constitutional democracy.

However, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security, Bankole Adeoye, says the decision by the summit to maintain the suspension is to send a message that the continental body will not tolerate any unconstitutional and undemocratic change of governments in member states.