Luanda: Angolan Head of State, Joo Louren§o, on Saturday concluded his one-year term at the helm of the African Union (AU) during the 39th Summit of Heads of State and Government, passing the organization's leadership to Burundi's ‚¬°variste Ndayshimiye.

According to Angola Press News Agency, the African Union Presidency operates on an annual rotating model, involving the Heads of State and Government of the 55 Member States. This rotation is based on a regional balance criterion encompassing the five regions of the continent: North, West, Central, Eastern, and Southern.

The rotating presidency's role includes politically representing the organization on significant African and intercontinental issues and coordinating the year's established agenda, with an emphasis on peace, security, and development. The Summit of Heads of State and Government serves as the organization's supreme body, responsible for setting political guidelines and electing the rotating president.

Burundi now assumes the political leadership of the AU, within a framework designed to enhance equitable representation and shared leadership among the Member States.