Addis ababa: The 39th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Commission concluded in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, without addressing the issue of hundreds of Africans reportedly dying in Ukraine while fighting on behalf of Russia. The session primarily concentrated on themes of water and sanitation, gender equality, and peace and security, with a strong focus on the situations in Sudan and the Central African Republic. According to Cameroon News Agency, the failure to discuss the recruitment of Africans by the Russian army for its war against Ukraine reflects a complex interplay of geopolitical and strategic interests. Ateki Caxton, a former Cameroonian presidential candidate and civil society leader, expressed concerns over this omission. He stated, "I think it is a sign of deeper collapse in the protection of African citizens globally." Caxton highlighted that the summit's silence on this matter might be indicative of the AU's persistence in adhering to its doctrines of non-alignment and non-interference in major power politics, despite the pressing need for a stronger African voice on the issue. The AU summit included discussions on peace and security, where it reviewed the Peace and Security Council's report and adopted a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at improving coordination and operational readiness of the African Standby Force. However, the Assembly did not publicly address the growing reports of Africans being recruited to fight in Russia's war against Ukraine. INPACT, a research group monitoring the Wagner Group's activities, reported that 316 African nationals have died on the battlefield, with the highest number of casualties from Cameroon. The organization suspects the actual number may be higher. Reports also indicate that African women and girls are being recruited under Russia's Alabuga Start programme to work in drone manufacturing facilities, often targeted by Ukrainian forces, leading to fatalities and injuries. These developments raise concerns about labor exploitation and the vulnerabili ty of African youth in a distant conflict. The AU's silence on these issues has led to criticism that it fails to address the external militarization of African youth, undermining its moral authority. Critics argue that for the AU to maintain trust among Africans, it must confront uncomfortable geopolitical and economic truths. The summit's central theme focused on water and sanitation, adopting the 2026 Theme of the Year: 'Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063.' This theme aligns with the Africa Water Vision 2026, emphasizing integrated water resource management within the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems nexus. The AU called for investments in water infrastructure and regional cooperation on transboundary water resources. On economic development, the summit reaffirmed Agenda 2063 as Africa's strategic blueprint for inclusive growth, with an emphasis on local health product manufacturing and intra-African trade under the African Continental Fre e Trade Area. An Extraordinary Summit on Local Manufacturing is scheduled for Nairobi in 2026. Despite these ambitious plans, the AU's silence on the recruitment and deaths of Africans in Russia's war overshadows its achievements. The AU's credibility in its peace and security agenda may depend on addressing both internal African conflicts and the external forces exploiting African youth in global conflicts. Efforts to reach Cameroonian members of parliament for comments on policies to prevent Cameroonian youth from fighting in Russia were unsuccessful. Historian and political analyst, Professor Victor Julius Ngoh, explained that the AU's silence may be due to the political repercussions of criticizing Russia. Caxton cautioned that without urgent action, African, particularly Cameroonian, deaths in such conflicts will likely continue to rise.
