Concept Note

Introduction

With the aim of playing a crucial role in bringing about sustainable peace and contributing to the implementation of the African Union Tripoli Declaration of August 2009, the Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS) of Addis Ababa University convenes an annual flagship security conference called the Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa, now popularly known as the Tana Forum. This initiative responds to the Tripoli Declaration’s appeal for ‘African-led solutions’ and the treatment of peace and security as a collective ‘intellectual challenge.’ For the past ten years, the Tana Forum has a flagship annual event attended by eminent personalities, including policy decision-makers, intellectuals, and stakeholders from the continent, and regional and global organizations.

From the outset, Tana Forum has witnessed the engagement of the political leadership and other stakeholders in an informal, open, and frank discussion on pressing peace and security challenges facing Africa. This has been a tradition for the subsequent ten forums. The current challenges confronting the continent necessitate frank and in-depth deliberations on pertinent global issues in which Africa is a key stakeholder.

The 11^th Edition of the Tana Forum, scheduled to take place from 24 – 26 October 2025 in Bahir Dar and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, under the theme “Africa in an Evolving Global Order” aspires to continue the tradition of candid discussions. High-level policy decision-makers, heads of regional, continental, and global organizations, and thought-leaders from across the spectrum are expected to attend the event.

Download the full Tana 2025 Concept Note documents  Concept Note(en). | Concept Note(fr).