The 12th Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa has opened in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, bringing together African leaders, policymakers and security experts to discuss the continent's peace and security challenges, economic sovereignty and changing geopolitical landscape.

The three-day forum, running from October 23 to 25, 2026, is being held under the theme "Pathways to Peace in Africa: Economic Sovereignty and Geopolitical Transformation." It seeks to examine how African countries can strengthen their economies, improve resource governance and develop African-led solutions to conflicts and other security threats.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed welcomed the participating leaders and called for stronger African ownership of continental initiatives, including sustainable financing and greater capacity to determine the continent's development priorities.

The discussions come amid growing concerns about external economic dependencies, debt vulnerabilities, competition over natural resources and the impact of geopolitical rivalries on African countries.

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Participants are examining how economic policies, institutional capacity and regional cooperation can contribute to lasting peace, with a focus on resource governance, digital infrastructure, monetary sovereignty and the development of regional markets.

The forum has attracted several prominent African leaders, including Burundi President Évariste Ndayishimiye, Mozambique President Daniel Francisco Chapo, Kenya's Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and former Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Koroma.

Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, who chairs the Tana Forum Board, is also among the key figures associated with this year's gathering. The forum provides a platform for political leaders, researchers and other stakeholders to exchange views on the continent's security priorities and approaches to regional cooperation.

A key issue on the agenda is the relationship between economic sovereignty and peace. Discussions are exploring how countries can retain more value from their natural resources, strengthen domestic industries and reduce dependence on external markets and financing.

The forum's organisers have also highlighted the need for stronger African institutions, better coordination among regional bodies and practical measures to address cross-border security threats.

Uganda calls for local value addition

Uganda's Minister of Defence, Kiryowa Kiwanuka, who represented President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at a high-level panel on October 24, called for greater investment in local industries and the retention of Africa's wealth within the continent.

Speaking during a discussion titled "From the Margins to the Centre: Building an African Model for Peace and Sovereignty in an Age of Geopolitical Rivalry," Kiwanuka argued that development should be assessed by its contribution to individual prosperity rather than infrastructure growth alone.

"Development must lead to individual wealth creation, not just infrastructure," he said.

Kiwanuka urged African countries to prioritise domestic processing of raw materials instead of exporting them and subsequently importing finished products at higher costs.

"We must prioritise local value addition and stop the loss of value through raw material exports," he said, citing Uganda's copper industry as an example of the challenges associated with exporting raw materials while importing processed products.

He argued that stronger intra-African trade and regional markets could help countries retain more economic value, create jobs and reduce reliance on external markets.

The discussion also examined how African countries could coordinate their resource policies and economic strategies to strengthen their collective bargaining position in the global economy.

The forum's broader agenda links economic transformation to efforts to prevent conflict and strengthen political stability.

Participants are considering how debt pressures, unequal participation in global value chains and dependence on external technologies and financing can affect public welfare and undermine confidence in institutions.

The African Union has similarly emphasised the importance of effective resource management, domestic financing, regional integration and stronger continental institutions in advancing sustainable peace. In a message delivered at the forum on October 24, the Union's leadership highlighted the need to translate Africa's resource wealth into productive capacity and shared prosperity.

The discussions also cover digital transformation, cybersecurity and the development of infrastructure that enables African countries to participate more effectively in the global economy while protecting their strategic interests.

Guided by the idea that there are multiple routes to the market, the forum recognises that African countries may pursue different approaches to peace and development while working towards shared continental objectives.