Vice President Kashim Shettima arrived at the Protocol Hall in Luanda on Monday for the 7th African Union-European Union Summit. He reached the venue around 2:00 p.m. local time, representing President Bola Tinubu, who cancelled planned trips to South Africa and Angola to address urgent security concerns following the abduction of more than 300 people over the past week.

Shettima travelled to Luanda late Sunday from Johannesburg after standing in for Tinubu at the G20 summit. Dressed in white traditional attire, he entered the hall alongside the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar.

Officials familiar with his schedule said his address at the two-day summit will focus on Africa–EU cooperation on security and trade, especially amid growing threats to regional stability. He is also expected to join two thematic discussions on peace, security, and migration. Although the official programme does not list him as a speaker, he is expected to present Nigeria’s statement during a four-hour closed-door session scheduled for Monday afternoon.

The summit, themed ‘Promoting peace and prosperity through effective multilateralism,’ is co-chaired by Angolan President João Lourenço, who has led the African Union since February 2025, and the President of the European Council, António Costa. The gathering marks 25 years of formal cooperation between the AU and the EU.

Trade between both regions reached nearly $410bn in 2024, with EU imports from Africa at about $217bn and exports at roughly $191bn.

According to the official programme, participants will hear statements from the AU Commission Chairperson, the Presidents of the European Commission and European Council, the UN Secretary-General, and the host President, Lourenço.

The first closed-door session on peace, security, governance, and multilateralism will run until the evening, followed by a plenary on prosperity, migration, and mobility on Tuesday before the closing session and a joint press conference.