Addis Ababa:The Second African Political Parties Summit (APPS 2026) in Addis Ababa has entered its second day, bringing together over 1,000 delegates from across the continent. The summit aims to position political parties as critical drivers of economic transformation, inclusive development, and sustainable growth.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, the summit, held at the Adwa Victory Memorial under the theme “Governing for Growth,” includes leaders from both governing and opposition political parties, heads of state, government officials, scholars, and civil society representatives. These attendees are exploring how political institutions can better respond to Africa’s development priorities.
The event is organized by Ethiopia’s Prosperity Party and coordinated by the Africa Governance Center. It seeks to move political parties beyond mere electoral competition to play a significant role in shaping long-term development policies, building effective institutions, and advancing shared prosperity. A key area of focus is fostering inter-party collaboration on national and continental priorities, addressing structural barriers to economic transformation, ensuring policy continuity, and strengthening institutional accountability.
Delegates are also discussing practical approaches to employment creation, inclusive economic growth, climate-resilient development, and establishing productive economic systems that can withstand global challenges. The summit serves as a platform for experience-sharing and structured dialogue on democracy, peace, governance, and economic transformation among African political parties.
Furthermore, the summit promotes stronger engagement with the private sector, financial institutions, academia, and regional institutions. At its core, APPS aims to redefine the role of political parties in Africa from electoral mobilization vehicles to architects of development policies and drivers of national transformation. The gathering is expected to yield the Addis Ababa Declaration, outlining collective commitments to advancing productive, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth across the continent.
Building on the previous Ghana Declaration of August 2025, the Addis Ababa summit aspires to strengthen a lasting continental platform for African political parties to develop collective responses to shared challenges and advance African solutions to African problems.
