The African Union has announced that Libya will host the African-Turkish summit scheduled to be held in 2026. This came during the 38th African Union Summit, which was held in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, on last Saturday and Sunday.
According to the statement, this decision came as a result of the diplomatic efforts made by the Libyan delegation during its participation in the summit, headed by the Head of the Presidential Council, Mohammed Menfi.
This comes, according to the statement, within the framework of emphasizing the importance of Libya hosting this event, as a step that reflects the efforts made to restore its active role and pioneering position on the continent, after it was a pivotal player in expanding the horizons of economic and political cooperation and sustainable development.
The statement explained that this hosting represents a renewed international recognition of Libya's capabilities and its essential role in enhancing dialogue and strategic cooperation between Africa and pivotal countries, in a way that serves common interests and pushes toward more effective partnerships to achieve the aspirations of the continent.
Over the past years, three Turkey-Africa Partnership Summits were held in Istanbul in 2008, Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea, in 2014, and Istanbul in 2021. The first two ministerial conferences were held in Istanbul in 2011 and 2018 to address the progress made in Turkey-African Union relations and the joint action plans adopted at the summit meetings.