To attend the 36th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union, President Muhammadu Buhari will leave Abuja on Thursday 16th February for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (AU).

The Acceleration of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Implementation is the summit's central focus.

The President will take part in three high-level discussions about climate change, political situation in some West African nations, and peace and security.

The first event is a meeting of the Heads of State and Government of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) on the situation in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (AUPSC High Level AU), which will be presided over by the President of South Africa in his capacity as the Council's Chair for the month of February.

The second event is the gathering of the Committee of the Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC), which is now being presided over by the president of the Niger Republic.

President Buhari will also attend an emergency summit of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS that will take place concurrently with the AU's annual meetings.

At the Summit's inaugural session in Addis Ababa, which brings together leaders from the AU member countries as well as a number of non-AU countries and international organizations affiliated to the AU, the Nigerian leader will speak and present his country's national statement.

Several Ministers and other important government officials will go with President Buhari.

He is expected to return to Abuja on Monday, February 20.