Rwanda is set to host a high-level gathering of African political, business and intellectual leaders as the Africa Mindset Reset Forum takes place at the Kigali Convention Centre on August 25–26, 2026, with leaders expected to push for new approaches to governance, continental integration and Africa’s development.
Among the prominent leaders expected at the two-day forum are Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama and former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, who is also a co-founder and chair of the African School of Governance (ASG), the institution hosting the forum.
The gathering will also bring together former heads of state and senior continental figures, including former South African President Thabo Mbeki, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Nigerien Prime Minister Ibrahim Mayaki.
Other expected participants include African Development Bank President Sidi Ould Tah, AfCFTA Secretary-General Wamkele Mene and UN Economic Commission for Africa Executive Secretary Claver Gatete.
From Pan-Africanism to practical action
A central question at the forum will be how Africa can move beyond long-standing declarations about unity and development and translate them into measurable action.
The first day is expected to open with a keynote address by former South African President Thabo Mbeki on “From Pan-Africanism to Meta-Africanism.”
The discussion will examine the mindset shifts required for Africa to respond to changing global geopolitics, reduced development financing and the need for greater continental self-reliance.
President Kagame, President Mahama and Hailemariam Desalegn are expected to take part in a deeper conversation around the same theme, focusing on how Africa can move from the aspiration of Pan-Africanism toward what organisers describe as practical “Meta-African action.”
What is expected to be addressed?
The forum is expected to tackle some of the continent’s most persistent development challenges, including good governance, institutional reform, leadership, African integration, education, human capital, natural resources and the culture of execution.
A major focus will be strengthening African institutions so that governments can turn policies and development plans into tangible results.
The discussions are also expected to explore how African countries can work more closely together rather than operating through fragmented national approaches.
Continental integration is likely to receive particular attention, especially efforts to deepen cooperation and make initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area more effective in expanding intra-African trade, investment and industrial development.
Education and human capital will also be central to the conversation, given Africa’s rapidly growing youth population.
Participants are expected to consider how education systems can better equip young Africans with the skills required for entrepreneurship, innovation, technology and productive employment.
A push for an Africa-centred mindset
The organisers say the forum is designed around the belief that Africa’s development challenges cannot be solved only through traditional approaches or externally driven solutions.
The African School of Governance has described the gathering as an opportunity for policymakers, entrepreneurs, educators and young leaders to rethink how the continent leads, governs and develops.
The organisers have also emphasised the importance of young Africans taking part in shaping the continent’s future, with the forum designed to give the next generation a significant voice.
This emphasis on ownership is expected to be one of the defining ideas of the meeting.
Discussions among young African leaders ahead of the forum have highlighted the need for a shift from short-term thinking to long-term, accountable development and from dependence to greater African ownership of the continent’s resources and future.
What the forum hopes to achieve
Beyond discussions and speeches, expectations will be high for the forum to produce practical ideas, stronger partnerships and a clearer action agenda for African leaders and institutions.
Participants are expected to explore ways of improving the effectiveness of public institutions, strengthening accountable leadership, accelerating regional integration and building human capital capable of driving Africa’s transformation.
The forum could also provide an opportunity for leaders from different generations and sectors to exchange experiences and identify approaches that can be replicated across African countries.
For Kigali, the gathering further positions Rwanda as a venue for high-level conversations on African governance, leadership and development.
The African School of Governance, founded by President Kagame and Hailemariam Desalegn, is seeking to contribute to the development of a new generation of African leaders capable of addressing the continent’s governance and institutional challenges.
Ultimately, the Africa Mindset Reset Forum is expected to test whether Africa can move from diagnosing its challenges to taking collective ownership of solutions and from ambitious continental visions to institutions and leaders capable of delivering results.
The central message emerging from the Kigali gathering is likely to be clear: Africa’s transformation will require not only new policies, but a new mindset about leadership, ownership, institutions and the continent’s place in the world.
