Former President John Mahama is in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to attend a meeting of the Board of the Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa. 

Mr Mahama is the Chairperson of the Tana Forum, which promotes African-led solutions by “holding discussions on the strategic and proactive management of African peace and security issues driven by the interest to contribute to stronger ownership of these issues.”

The Tana Forum is an annual meeting that brings together African leaders and stakeholders to engage and explore African-led security solutions.

The Forum complements formal meetings of African heads of state and government by assembling them in an informal, collaborative environment. 

Saturday’s board meeting will discuss preparations for the next Tana Forum, which is held annually at Bahir Dar, in Ethiopia. 

The board has eminent African personalities who have demonstrated leadership, inspiration and experience in their fields of endeavour. 

Some members of the board include former Ethiopian Prime Minister HE Hailemariam Desalegn, former President of the Central African Republic HE Catherine Samba-Panza, Ethiopia’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Hirut Zemene, Ethiopia’s National Security Adviser Temesgen Tiruneh, and former Malawian President Dr. Joyce Banda. 

Other members are Professor PLO Lumumba, a senior law advocate from Kenya, Dr Lassina Zerbo, Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, Ambassador Lakhdar Brahimi from Algeria, Ambassador Soad M. Shalaby, Director General of the Egyptian African Centre for Women, Alain Foka, a Journalist and a representative of the African Union.