Addis Ababa. More than 600 leaders, policymakers, innovators, academics and civil society representatives from across Africa and beyond are expected to gather in Addis Ababa on July 29 and 30, 2026, for the inaugural World Public Summit Africa, organisers have said.
Hosted at the UN Economic Commission for Africa (Uneca) under the theme “New World: Africa in Shaping a Common Future,” the summit is being organised by the World Peoples Assembly in partnership with the Global Black Centre and several international organisations.
Organisers say the forum will provide a platform for advancing dialogue, cooperation and development through public diplomacy, cultural exchange and economic partnerships at a time when African countries are seeking a greater role in global decision-making.
According to the organisers, the summit reflects a growing view that traditional state-to-state diplomacy alone is no longer sufficient to address contemporary challenges and opportunities.
Instead, they argue for broader engagement involving citizens, civil society organisations, educational institutions, businesses and cultural actors.
“The summit reflects a new approach to international engagement that prioritises people-to-people cooperation, mutual respect and shared development goals,” organisers said in a statement.
The two-day event will feature a high-level plenary session, five thematic discussion tracks, an international business cooperation forum, a 1,200-square-metre innovation exhibition and an international awards ceremony. More than 2,000 participants are also expected to attend a closing celebration and concert at the Adwa Memorial Complex.
Discussions will focus on five themes considered critical to Africa’s future development and international engagement.
The first track, “Genuine Sovereignty,” will examine strategies for strengthening national resilience through investments in infrastructure, food security and information systems, while exploring how African countries can enhance self-reliance and remain active participants in global cooperation.
The second, “Youth Leadership,” will focus on education, employment and leadership development, with discussions expected to explore ways of equipping Africa’s growing youth population with skills and opportunities to compete in a global economy.
Under “Innovations for the Future,” experts will discuss artificial intelligence, digital transformation, infrastructure modernisation, media evolution and the wider social implications of technological change.
A fourth track, “Creativity and Cultural Diplomacy,” will explore how Africa’s cultural heritage can be used to strengthen international partnerships, build trust and foster mutual understanding among nations and communities.
The fifth theme, “International Scientific and Educational Cooperation,” will focus on cross-border research, academic partnerships and knowledge exchange as drivers of sustainable development.
Alongside the thematic discussions, the International Business Cooperation Platform will seek to strengthen economic ties between African and international partners. Organisers say the forum, themed “From Trust Between Peoples to Trust Between Economies,” will facilitate business-to-business and government-to-business engagements while showcasing investment opportunities across the continent.
Participants will also have access to an innovation exhibition featuring solutions in food technology, cybersecurity, financial technology, smart transport, education and digital infrastructure.
Organisers say the summit is intended to deliver practical outcomes beyond the event itself. These include plans to establish an African Network of Public Diplomacy, create a community of African public diplomacy leaders and launch a World Peoples Assembly Business Club in Africa.
Other anticipated outcomes include the development of a media platform dedicated to public diplomacy and African storytelling, as well as stronger partnerships among governments, non-governmental organisations and the private sector.
Delegates are expected to adopt four key documents at the conclusion of the summit: an African Communiqué, recommendations for the broader World Public Summit 2026, proposals to strengthen NGO cooperation across the continent and initiatives supporting the development of a public diplomacy media platform.
The Addis Ababa gathering will be the first of six regional summits planned ahead of the flagship World Public Summit 2026 under the theme “A New World: Values That Unite.” Additional regional forums are scheduled for India, the Arab world, Latin America, Europe and Russia.
Organisers say the Africa summit will provide an opportunity for the continent to contribute to emerging global conversations on diplomacy, development and international cooperation while promoting a vision grounded in sovereignty, innovation, cultural exchange and shared prosperity.
