By Gloria Ikibah
The Government of India and the African Union have agreed to postpone the Fourth India–Africa Forum Summit earlier scheduled to hold in New Delhi from May 28 to 31, 2026, following consultations over the evolving public health situation in parts of Africa.
The decision was announced in a joint press release issued on Thursday after discussions between Indian authorities, the Chairperson of the African Union and the African Union Commission. 
Both sides stated that the postponement was reached after reviewing the emerging health concerns across parts of the continent and the need to guarantee full participation by African leaders and stakeholders.
The statement noted that India and the African Union had remained in close contact in preparation for the summit, while also reaffirming the importance of stronger cooperation in public health preparedness and emergency response systems across Africa.
India also reiterated its support for Africa-led health interventions, particularly through the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and relevant national institutions.
According to the statement, “India reaffirmed its solidarity with the peoples and Governments of Africa and expressed its readiness to contribute to Africa CDC-led efforts aimed at addressing the evolving health situation, in line with the shared commitment to an Africa-led response.”
The two parties stressed that the postponement was necessary to ensure broader engagement and effective participation at the summit.
“Following these consultations, the two sides agreed that it would be advisable to convene the Fourth India–Africa Forum Summit at a later date,” the statement added.
Fresh dates for the summit and associated meetings are expected to be announced after further consultations between both parties.
Despite the postponement, India and the African Union reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening longstanding ties built on mutual respect, South-South cooperation, peace, development and shared prosperity.
The India–Africa Forum Summit remains one of the key diplomatic platforms for advancing cooperation between India and African countries in areas including trade, infrastructure, health, education, technology and security.
