The second edition of the African Political Parties Summit (APPS) will be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from November 5 to 7, 2026, with political leaders expected to deliberate on the role of political parties in driving Africa’s economic transformation.

The summit is being convened by the Africa Governance Centre (AGC) in collaboration with the Ethiopian government under the high patronage of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali.

This year’s summit is themed “Governing for Growth: Political Parties as Architects of Africa’s Economic Future.”

Organisers say the gathering will focus on how political leadership can contribute to industrialisation, sustainable development, regional integration and the creation of resilient African economies.

The 2026 summit builds on the inaugural edition held in Accra, Ghana, in August 2025, which brought together more than 100 representatives of political parties from across the continent.

That meeting ended with the adoption of the Accra Declaration, a 10-point commitment aimed at promoting good governance, regional integration and inclusive development.

The Africa Governance Centre says the Addis Ababa summit comes at a defining moment for the continent as African countries seek to accelerate economic transformation while dealing with complex socio-economic challenges.

Discussions are expected to examine how political parties can help strengthen accountable institutions and advance development priorities in line with the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

Two flagship platforms will form part of the 2026 summit — the African Youth in Politics Forum (AYPF) and the Africa Women Political Leadership Summit (AWPLS).

The platforms are expected to provide dedicated spaces for discussions on youth and women’s participation in political leadership and ways of improving their representation in Africa’s political systems.

Organisers say recommendations from the two platforms will feed into the Addis Ababa Declaration, which is expected to capture shared priorities and commitments on strengthening development-oriented political institutions across the continent.

The summit will bring together political party representatives and other stakeholders to examine how political leadership can support Africa’s economic ambitions and contribute to sustainable development.