Ethiopia will host the Second Edition of the African Political Parties Summit (APPS) from November 5 to 7, 2026, bringing together political leaders, policymakers and governance stakeholders from across the continent to deliberate on the role of political leadership in Africa’s economic transformation.
The Summit will be convened by the Africa Governance Centre (AGC) in collaboration with the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, under the high patronage of H.E. Abiy Ahmed Ali, Prime Minister of Ethiopia.
The three-day event will be held in Addis Ababa under the theme, “Governing for Growth: Political Parties as Architects of Africa’s Economic Future.”
The 2026 edition of APPS aligns with the aspirations of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, particularly its vision of a prosperous, integrated, and peaceful Africa driven by effective leadership, strong institutions, and people-centred development.
The Summit will provide a platform for political actors and governance stakeholders to reflect on the political conditions necessary to accelerate the continent’s transformation agenda.
The 2026 Summit will build on the outcomes of the inaugural African Political Parties Summit, which was held in Accra, Ghana, in 2025. The first edition culminated in the Accra Declaration, establishing a framework for continued continental dialogue on the role of political parties in Africa’s governance and development. The Addis Ababa Summit is expected to take that conversation forward by examining emerging priorities and developing a new set of commitments through the Addis Ababa Declaration.
A key feature of the 2026 Summit will be the convening of two flagship platforms: the African Youth in Politics Forum (AYPF) and the Africa Women Political Leadership Summit (AWPLS). These platforms will provide dedicated spaces to advance meaningful youth and women’s participation in political leadership, strengthen inclusive governance, and address pathways for greater representation in Africa’s political systems.
The outcomes and recommendations from the APPS, AYPF and AWPLS will feed into the Addis Ababa Declaration, which will capture areas of consensus and proposed commitments emerging from the various discussions. Through high-level plenary sessions, thematic dialogues and stakeholder engagements, the Summit will seek to deepen collaboration among political actors and governance stakeholders across Africa.
Organizers expect the gathering to contribute to shaping a governance environment capable of supporting the continent’s aspirations for economic growth, political stability, inclusive development and shared prosperity.
