As dignitaries and diplomats descend onto Ethiopia’s mile-high capital of Addis Ababa for the 38th annual African Union Heads of State Summit, which starts Saturday, major leadership changes, high-stakes negotiations, and pressing security challenges will take center stage.
With reparatory justice at the top of the agenda — this year’s theme is “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations” — African nations are making a bold push for historical accountability for slavery and colonialism.
But that’s just one of the high-voltage moments unfolding. Here’s what to watch as the AU summit heats up.