Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – The Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa will hold its 12th edition from 23–25 October 2026 in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. Organised by the Tana Forum Secretariat, Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS) at Addis Ababa University, the Forum remains the continent’s leading platform for African-led dialogue on peace and security.

This year’s theme, “Pathways to Peace in Africa: Economic Sovereignty and Geopolitical Transformation,” will frame discussions around economic sovereignty and geopolitical transformation as mutually reinforcing pathways to sustainable peace in Africa; with a shared understanding that “there are multiple routes to the market”.

The Forum will bring together:

• High-level policy decision-makers and thought-leaders from across the spectrum 
• Heads of regional, continental, and global organisations
• Civil society leaders, youth representatives, and private sector voices
• Multilateral partners and policy experts

High-level and expert confirmed speakers and participants will be announced in the coming days as we near the Forum.

Objectives 

The 2026 Forum will:

• Provide opportunities for decision-making leaders and institutions to exchange experiences and insights on peace and security issues among themselves, gaining the new perspectives needed to resolve critical peace and security problems.
• Provide opportunities for political decision-makers to interact and consult with a critical mass of the African constituency and key global actors in the peace, security, and development sectors.
• Contribute to an open and substantive debate on peace and security issues of strategic importance to the continent vis-à-vis the rest of the world.
• Facilitate inclusive dialogue among governments and African security stakeholders, including diverse African voices on the ground, on various dimensions and components of peace and security concerns across the continent.
• Sensitise and mobilise a broad spectrum of actors and stakeholders to promote awareness of, and the imperative for, African ownership of peace and security solutions.

Key Discussion Areas

• Interrogate the links between economic sovereignty, geopolitical transformation, and sustainable peace in Africa.
• Examine how Africa can translate its natural wealth and digital advantage into inclusive industrial wealth for sustainable peace.
• Assess the readiness, coherence, and resilience of African institutions and regional mechanisms to meet the demands of Africa’s economic sovereignty, and to anticipate, prevent, and respond to evolving peace and security challenges in a contested geopolitical environment.
• Identify practical policy pathways to deepen regional integration, harness the developmental potential of informality, and counter illicit economies that undermine governance, sovereignty, and peace across the continent.

Background

The Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa was established in 2012 in response to the African Union’s 2009 Tripoli Declaration, which called for African-led approaches to peace and security. Since then, it has served as an informal space where leaders and citizens openly debate pressing issues that affect the continent.