The forum will take place at the Kigali Convention Centre and is organized by the African School of Governance (ASG). It is expected to bring together about 1,000 leaders from Africa and other continents. About 80 percent of the participants are expected to be young people and emerging leaders.
Other participants will include Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang, former Vice President of The Gambia, who is known for her work promoting women’s and youth rights, democratic governance and peacebuilding.
Monica Geingos, the wife of former Namibian President Hage Geingob, will also attend. She is involved in initiatives aimed at improving the well-being of Africans and advancing the continent’s economy through the One Economy Foundation.
The forum will be held under the theme “From Pan-Africanism to Meta-Africanism.” It aims to launch a new chapter in Africa’s development journey, moving beyond political unity and independence to focus on building strong institutions, developing homegrown solutions and implementing programmes that deliver tangible development.
On the first day, Mbeki will deliver a keynote address on the vision of Meta-Africanism. President Paul Kagame, who is among the founders of ASG, Mahama and former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn will discuss how the objectives of African unity can be translated into concrete action.
Obasanjo and Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), will take part in a session focusing on building strong institutions, strengthening the capacity to implement projects and developing integrated markets.
On the second day, discussions will focus on African ownership and management of the continent’s natural resources and people-centred development. Strategies to be highlighted will include facilitating movement across the continent, establishing a single African air transport market and creating an African institution that assesses countries’ creditworthiness.
ASG says the forum is not intended merely to revisit the challenges facing Africa, but to provide a platform for showcasing solutions that are already producing results, connecting those implementing them and moving beyond words to action.
ASG President Francis Gatare said Africa’s founding generations fought to liberate the continent, but the responsibility of the current generation is to continue that journey by building sustainable economies and strong institutions.
The Africa Mindset Reset Forum will be held for the first time this year. It is built around seven transformations, including moving from despair to a development-oriented mindset, from dependence to taking the initiative, and from inadequate performance to excellence.
