From climate change to entrepreneurship and everything in between, here’s a list of our top philanthropy and international development events taking place around the African continent and beyond. If you would like your event to be featured, contact us.
JANUARY
African Union Summit| January 15-February 11, 2019
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
The 32nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) will take place from 15 January to 11 February 2019, under the theme “Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons: Towards Durable Solutions to Forced Displacement in Africa”. The Summit will be held at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia as follows:
- 15 – 16 January 2019: 37th Ordinary Session of the Permanent Representatives’ Committee (PRC).
- 07 – 08 February 2019: 34th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council (Ministerial)
- 10 – 11 February 2019: 32nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union
Opening sessions and press conferences of the Summit will be streaming Live on the African Union website.
The Education World Forum| January 20-23, 2019
London, UK
The Education World Forum, the world’s largest gathering of education and skills ministers, will take place January 20-23, 2019, in London. The theme will be “What we should do with what we know: Developing education policy for implementation, impact and exponential success”.
FEBRUARY
Transforming Sanitation in Africa | February 18-22, 2019
Cape Town, South Africa
Two organizations are joining forces to deliver a unique synergistic program that will leverage the political might of the AfricaSan 5 Conference along with the practical and technical output of the FSM Conference. Attendees will have access to a wider array of practitioners working to implement new technology in the field as well as to ministers working to frame the policies that will facilitate development in this sector.
AIDF Summit| February 26-27, 2019
Nairobi, Kenya
The AIDF Africa Summit was launched in 2015 to engage all the relevant aid and development stakeholders within Africa and beyond. The two-day conference features four different streams and attracts 350 senior attendees from regional governments, UN agencies, international and regional NGOs, CBOs, investors and donors, research institutes and the private sector. The AIDF Africa Summit advocates for cross-sector approach through inclusive, effective collaboration and coordination between national and international NGOs, government and UN agencies, Red Cross, donors, investors, development banks and the private sector.
MARCH
Africa Health Agenda| March 5-7, 2019
Kigali, Rwanda
The Africa Health Agenda International Conference (AHAIC) is the leading convening on Africa’s health priorities. Every iteration of AHAIC builds on the success of the previous one to bring more nuance and action to conversations on health in Africa. The 2017 conference, which was held in Nairobi, Kenya, brought together over 1000 stakeholders to discuss systems and innovations needed to enable Africa to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. AHAIC 2019 will convene stakeholders from across sectors and around the world to take forward critical conversations initiated in Nairobi to explore what it will take for Africa to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030.
Africa Climate Week| March 18-22, 2019
Accra, Ghana
Africa Climate Week (ACW) 2019 will convene in the lead-up to the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Summit in September 2019, bringing together diverse actors from the public and private sectors. Participants will focus on how engagement between Parties and non-Party stakeholders can be further strengthened in key sectors for Africa, including energy, agriculture and human settlements. The event will also showcase the role of future carbon markets to enhance climate action towards the goal of sustainable development, and seek to facilitate implementation of countries’ nationally determined contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement on climate change and SDG 13 (climate action), among other Goals.
Social Sector Networking Event| March 2019
Lagos, Nigeria
Every quarter, Philanthropy Circuit and YAP&E bring together individuals and organizations in Nigeria’s social sector to connect, share and learn from each other and to explore opportunities for collaboration towards attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Previous networking sessions have been well attended by leaders of foundations, government agencies, nonprofits, and social enterprises.
APRIL
Skoll World Forum| April 9-12, 2019
Oxford, UK
Each year, the world’s most influential social entrepreneurs, key thought leaders, and strategic partners gather at the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School to exchange ideas and activate solutions to global challenges. Forum delegates represent nearly 65 countries and participate in a range of interactive events to openly share, collaborate, innovate, and, ultimately, advance social entrepreneurship.
Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development| April 16-18, 2019
Morocco
The fifth session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD) will take place on the theme, ‘Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality’. The Forum is convened by the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in collaboration with regional organizations and the UN System. The Forum seeks to advance implementation of both the SDGs and Africa’s Agenda 2063.
MAY
Africa Grantmakers Affinity Group Conference| May 1-2, 2019
New York, New York
The 2019 Annual Conference will build upon the 2018 Annual Conference and take a deeper dive into the why behind the strategies funders are using to address the issues that affect communities across Africa. The results from the 2018 Survey of Africa Funders will frame the conversations and explore the ways funders inside and outside of Africa can work together to leverage their philanthropy and increase its collective benefit.
African Shared Value Summit| May 23-24, 2019
Nairobi, Kenya
The Africa Shared Value Summit aims to raise awareness and advocate for the success of the strategic implementation of the Shared Value business model – profit with purpose – in Africa. The 2019 Summit, which will take place at the Radisson Blu in Nairobi, Kenya, will focus on the importance of Shared Value ecosystems in driving Africa’s business growth.
AUGUST
African Philanthropy Forum Annual Conference| August 2019
Location TBA
The APF Annual Conference provides a platform for African philanthropists, grant makers and social investors to interact, form valuable partnerships and gain new insights and knowledge.
OCTOBER
The Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Forum| October 2019
Lagos, Nigeria
Convened by Africa’s leading entrepreneurship-focused philanthropic organisation, this year’s Forum will host 5,000 entrepreneurs, the broad investor community, government and policymakers, leading developmental organisations, private sector representatives, the media and partners, as we connect Africa’s most promising entrepreneurs to the thriving investment and entrepreneurial communities in Africa. The event presents a unique opportunity to generate ideas, forge networks and bring policy makers and the private sector together, in a spirit of robust debate and interaction.