Mahama, Mbeki and Obasanjo Among 1,000 African Leaders Headed to Rwanda for ‘Mindset Reset’ Forum

Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, former South African President Thabo Mbeki and former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo are among prominent African leaders expected in Kigali for a forum focused on reshaping the continent’s approach to development.

The inaugural Africa Mindset Reset Forum is scheduled to take place at the Kigali Convention Centre on August 25 and 26, bringing together about 1,000 leaders, policymakers, academics, entrepreneurs and young people from Africa and beyond.

The forum is being organised by the African School of Governance (ASG) under the theme “From Pan-Africanism to Meta-Africanism.”

Organisers say the meeting will examine how Africa can move beyond the ideals of political independence and continental unity towards practical solutions that strengthen institutions, drive economic development and make greater use of the continent’s own resources and capabilities.

About 80% of the participants are expected to be young people and emerging leaders, placing the next generation at the centre of discussions about Africa’s future.

The forum will bring together current and former African leaders alongside experts and other influential figures to discuss challenges facing the continent and ways of developing African-led responses.

Among the issues expected to feature prominently are leadership, natural resource management, economic development, regional integration and the implementation of major projects capable of transforming African economies.

Former Gambian Vice President Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang, former Namibian First Lady Monica Geingos and former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn are also expected to participate.

The organisers describe the forum as an opportunity to rethink how African countries approach development at a time when the continent is seeking greater economic integration, stronger institutions and more control over its natural resources.

The emphasis on young and emerging leaders is also intended to create space for a new generation of Africans to contribute to discussions traditionally dominated by established political and institutional figures.

The gathering in Kigali comes amid growing calls across Africa for the continent to develop its own solutions to its economic, political and institutional challenges while making better use of its human and natural resources.

Through the “Meta-Africanism” theme, the forum is expected to explore what should come after the traditional Pan-African vision and how its principles can be translated into practical programmes that deliver measurable development across the continent.