African heads of state, former presidents and senior business and development leaders are expected to gather in Kigali next week to discuss how the continent can turn its long-standing Pan-African ambitions into practical action.
The Africa Mindset Reset Forum, organized by the African School of Governance (ASG), will take place on August 25-26, bringing together current and former leaders to examine governance, institutional reform, economic integration and the leadership needed to accelerate Africa’s development.
The two-day forum will be held under the theme “From Pan-Africanism to Meta-Africanism,” a concept organizers say seeks to move beyond the historical aspiration for African unity towards coordinated action and implementation.
Former South African President Thabo Mbeki is expected to open the first day with a keynote address examining the mindset shifts Africa needs to navigate changing global geopolitics and declining development financing.
President Paul Kagame, Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama and former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn are also expected to take part in a discussion on the forum’s central theme.
The forum will bring together leaders with experience across government, continental institutions, business and civil society, including former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Nigerien Prime Minister Ibrahim Mayaki and former Gambian Vice President Fatoumata Jallow Tambajang.
The gathering comes as African countries face pressure to strengthen their collective bargaining power, deepen economic integration and mobilize domestic resources at a time when traditional sources of development financing are becoming increasingly constrained.
A central focus of the forum will be how Africa can move from agreements and aspirations to institutions and policies that deliver measurable results.
Discussions will examine initiatives aimed at strengthening continental integration and self-reliance, including the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the Single African Air Transport Market, visa openness, the African Open Skies Initiative and proposals for an African sovereign credit rating agency.
The Rwanda Cooperation Initiative will also feature among the initiatives presented as examples of efforts to strengthen African cooperation and institutional capacity.
Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, is among the senior continental officials expected at the forum, alongside Sidi Ould Tah, President of the African Development Bank, and Claver Gatete, Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa.
Intergenerational discussions will also examine leadership choices, institutional reforms and the ability of African governments to translate policy commitments into implementation.
The second day will shift attention to Africa’s natural resources and human capital, with discussions focusing on how the continent can turn its resources and young population into productive industries, inclusive economic growth and decent employment.
The program will feature home-grown initiatives in areas including food security, trade, philanthropy and sport, while also examining how Africa can strengthen its image and influence globally.
Business leaders expected to participate include Acha Leke, Chairman for Africa at McKinsey & Company; Zouera Youssoufou, CEO of the Aliko Dangote Foundation; Yvonne Makolo, CEO of RwandAir; and Clare Akamanzi, CEO of NBA Africa.
The forum will also feature “Africa Forward: A Conversation with Renowned Pan-Africanists and Thought Leaders,” which will explore how the continent can build a stronger shared narrative and translate common aspirations into collective action.
Organizers say the meeting is intended to go beyond discussions, with the closing sessions expected to focus on concrete commitments, institutional partnerships and follow-up actions.
The program will include announcements on the African Sovereign Negotiations Program and the Global Trust Forum, as well as the launch of ASG’s Center on Mindsets and Home-Grown Solutions, the Meta-Africa Mindset Journal and the Public Finance for Prosperity and Resilience Initiative.
The forum will ultimately call for what organizers describe as a continental “mindset reset,” one focused not only on shared African identity and ambition, but on coordinated leadership, disciplined implementation and sustained follow-through.
