As African leaders convene for the 39th AU Summit in Addis Ababa, more than 80 delegates from across Global Africa, representing civil society organizations, youth movements, legal practitioners, policy experts, human rights defenders, academics etc. joined by many others online, have come together to deliver a clear and principled message. In a context marked by persistent human rights violations, democratic backsliding, shrinking civic space, protracted conflicts, and mounting debt distress, this memorandum calls on Heads of State to move beyond declarations and take concrete decisions to defend constitutional democracy, advance justice and accountability, protect civilians, empower youth, strengthen governance institutions, and ensure responsible stewardship of Africa’s natural resources. Africa cannot credibly demand justice globally while tolerating injustice at home.

MEMORANDUM

To: African Heads of State and Government

From: The Citizens’ Dialogue held in Addis Ababa on 12th February 2026

Date: 14 February 2026

Subject: Memorandum to the 39th AU Summit on Human Rights, Justice, Governance and Peace in Africa

Excellencies,

We, citizens from across the continent and the diaspora meeting in Addis Ababa on 12 February 2026, with the participation of many others online, congratulate you on convening the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union at a defining moment for our continent.

Africa stands at a historic crossroads. The global order is fragmenting. Geopolitical competition is intensifying. Fiscal space is shrinking under mounting debt burdens. Armed conflicts continue to devastate lives from Sudan to the Sahel and Eastern DRC. Democratic norms are under strain, and civic space is narrowing across multiple member states.

Yet this moment also presents opportunity. Africa has secured a permanent seat in the G20. The African Union has launched a Decade of Reparations. The 2026 Theme of the Year, “Water as a Vital Resource for Life, Development and Sustainability,” recognizes the climate-development-security nexus at the heart of our future.

This AU Summit must therefore move beyond declarations. It must deliver decisions that restore credibility, protect sovereignty, and secure dignity for Africa’s people.

The Citizens’ Dialogue on Human Rights, Justice, Governance, and Peace respectfully submits the following urgent messages for your consideration:

1. Defend Constitutional Democracy and Reclaim Civic Space

• Mandate consistent enforcement of AU democratic norms, including the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.
• Strengthen the independence and operational capacity of the African Commission and African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
• Protect election observation, media freedom, and civic participation as pillars of stability, not threats to sovereignty.
• Prioritize electoral governance reform, including independent supervision and financing of elections.
• Institutionalize regular citizen dialogues and participation mechanisms, including support for innovative digital civic engagement.
• Establish comprehensive transparency mechanisms covering electoral bodies, political parties, security institutions, and regulators.

2. Move the Reparation Agenda to Implementation

• Establish a permanent AU Reparations Implementation Mechanism with clear mandates and reporting timelines.
• Integrate debt justice, climate loss and damage, illicit financial flows, and restitution of cultural heritage into a unified continental reparative framework.
• Deepen strategic alliances with CARICOM, CELAC, and the broader Global South to build negotiating coalitions.

3. Confront Debt Distress as a Peace and Sovereignty Issue

• Collectively push for meaningful reform of the global debt architecture and IMF quota system.
• Strengthen regional financing mechanisms, development banks, and local currency settlement systems to reduce vulnerability to external shocks.
• Advance implementation of the Mbeki Report on Illicit Financial Flows.

4. Place Civilian Protection and Accountability at the Center of Peace Efforts

• Prioritize civilian protection and accountability mechanisms in all peace processes.
• Harmonize AU, RECs, and UN tracks to avoid fragmented diplomacy.
• Ensure inclusive approaches incorporating local communities and civil society.
• Establish measurable benchmarks, timelines, and performance indicators for peace interventions.

5. Address Youth Exclusion as a Security and Development Priority

• Prioritize large-scale youth employment and entrepreneurship support.
• Align education systems with labor market needs.
• Support local enterprise and domestic private sector growth.
• Recognize youth as partners in governance and transformation.

6. Confront Structural Drivers of Conflict, Including Rural Neglect

• Increase investments in rural economies, infrastructure, and enterprise development.
• Address unequal budget allocations that exclude rural populations.
• Integrate rural communities into national and continental development strategies.
• Promote inclusive development that reduces socio-economic inequalities.

7. Strengthen Governance of Critical Minerals and Natural Resources

• Accelerate adoption and implementation of the Africa Mining Vision.
• Address governance of critical minerals as both a conflict driver and a potential engine for shared prosperity.
• Promote regional value chains and local beneficiation.
• Ensure resource governance supports sustainable development.

8. Protect Africa’s Place in Global Governance

• Adopt a clear AU solidarity position rejecting politicization of participation in global forums.
• Strengthen AU coordination ahead of major global moments including G20, UN, and COP processes.
• Accelerate reforms increasing Africa’s collective leverage on global financial rules and representation.

9. Restore Credibility of Governance through Peer Review and Accountability

• Reinforce the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) as a serious governance instrument.
• Ensure leadership and credibility standards across AU governance bodies.
• Ensure transparency in resource allocation and conflict intervention funding.
• Create stronger follow-through through public benchmarks and periodic progress reporting.

In conclusion, Excellencies,

This Summit is more than an annual convening. It is a test of Africa’s collective credibility.

Your decisions in Addis Ababa will determine whether Africa:

• Speaks with unity in global governance,
• Protect human rights at home and defends democratic legitimacy
• Converts reparative justice into structural transformation,
• And builds peace rooted in accountability and dignity.

We, citizens of this continent, stand ready to support reform-oriented institutions, civil society partners, and continental processes that strengthen Africa’s sovereignty, justice systems, and democratic future.

The moment demands courage, coherence, and continental solidarity.

Respectfully submitted.