African Leaders Converge in Ethiopia as Geopolitical Stakes Rise

African leaders have gathered in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, for the 12th Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa, taking place from 23–25 October under the theme “Pathways to Peace in Africa: Economic Sovereignty and Geopolitical Transformation.”

Among those attending are Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, who chairs the Tana Forum, and Burundi’s President Évariste Ndayishimiye, the current Chairperson of the African Union. Kenya’s Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has also arrived for the gathering.

The discussions come at a pivotal moment for the continent. From instability in the Horn of Africa to mounting security concerns around the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Africa faces challenges that extend beyond traditional conflict management. Competition among foreign powers, control of strategic trade routes and the management of the continent’s natural resources are increasingly intertwined with questions of peace, sovereignty and economic development.

The forum’s central question is therefore not simply how Africa can resolve its conflicts, but how it can strengthen its capacity to shape its own strategic future. In a world of intensifying geopolitical competition, African economic sovereignty and security are becoming inseparable.

Whether the discussions translate into coordinated action remains to be seen. But the gathering offers an important opportunity for African leaders and international partners to confront a fundamental question: can the continent turn its strategic importance and economic potential into greater influence over its own future?

Source: "Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa" (https://tanaforum.org/tana-forum-2026/)

Alain Nzeyimana | Founder & CEO | Verifyr & BuyRent