African Leaders Discuss Governing for Growth at Addis Ababa Summit

Political party leaders, heads of state and policymakers from across Africa met in Addis Ababa on 5 November 2026 for the Second African Political Parties Summit. Their discussions address how political parties can support employment creation, inclusive development and structural economic transformation.

Running from 5 to 7 November, the Summit encourages parties to look beyond electoral mobilisation and consider their longer-term role in national development. Participants are examining barriers to economic transformation and the political conditions that allow those barriers to persist.

A central theme is policy continuity. Deliberations consider how parties can support enduring national development priorities beyond short electoral cycles, while encouraging cooperation with the private sector and academia. Regional economic zones, energy cooperation, trade connectivity, digital transformation, mining and tourism also feature in the discussions.

As the host, Ethiopia’s Prosperity Party is sharing its experience of homegrown economic reform and large-scale infrastructure development, guided by the MEDEMER philosophy of synergy. The Summit is expected to conclude with the Addis Ababa Declaration, a collective roadmap for sustainable and productive governance.