The 12th Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa has concluded Today in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia with a powerful, direct plea to the continent’s leadership: transition immediately from diplomatic dialogue into concrete, measurable action.
Meeting under the theme “Pathways to Peace in Africa: Economic Sovereignty and Geopolitical Transformation,” the prominent event was attended by an influential assembly of current and former heads of state, prime ministers, and security experts. Ahead of the forum’s commencement, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed officially welcomed several high-profile regional dignitaries to the host nation, including the President of Ghana, the President of Mozambique, and the Deputy President of Kenya.
In a moving closing address, Tana Forum Board Chairperson and Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama stressed that Africa’s overlapping security and economic challenges can no longer be resolved through talk alone. Mahama emphasized that enduring peace is not merely a matter of deploying military forces, but must instead be built from the ground up through genuine regional solidarity, deep economic integration, and the purposeful creation of inclusive societies where all citizens are given a real stake in the future.
This high-stakes panel discussion, which was held against the backdrop of several conflicts, including those in East Africa, concluded with a clarion call to African leaders to walk the talk.
Leaders were also urged to confidently navigate shifting global power dynamics while fiercely protecting their economic independence and resource sovereignty.
