Organised by the World People’s Assembly and supported by the Globus Expert Club, the World Public Summit was held in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.
The “Africa 2026” Edition was a milestone as the celebration of this International Conference was held on African soil, which generated a wide impact in the forums linked to politics, diplomacy, social communication, science and, particularly, the spheres of the various elites of the continent, who closely followed the development of this Summit on July 29 and 30, 2026.
The Ethiopian host reported that Addis Ababa was chosen as the venue for this Summit of high international impact in recognition of Ethiopia’s history of sovereignty and Africanist struggle.
But also, as we said, this meeting was a transcendental event because international partners were present who, together with their Ethiopian and African counterparts, are strengthening the agenda that positively enhances, on the one hand, the role of Africa in the interconnections operating in the current global reconfiguration and, on the other hand, contributes to a world order that is more equitable and harmonious, marking a clear position of opposition to all those other actors who they seek unilateral hegemony of the world at the expense of Africa’s identity and material wealth.
Thus, more than 2000 participants, from 50 countries, came to Addis Ababa for a constructive exchange of opinions, consultations, suggestions and proposals supporting a paradigm of integral development of the world that crystallises, in this twenty-first century, true and fruitful cooperation among nations.
All those present adhered in unison to the convening motto of “New World: Africa in the configuration of a common future”, requesting that the continent, including all its peoples and nation states, be treated, by the international community, and, especially, by the Western system, with justice and equality, incorporating, in the ideals, actions and final projects Africa as a vital and irreplaceable part of humanity with full sovereignty and normative polycentrism.
The indispensable and productive role of Public Diplomacy and the concept of “Blue Africa” were some of the axes that energised the sessions of clarification, debate and intellectual and volitional agreement of the attendees, who praised, at all times, the dialogical and propositional atmosphere achieved by the organisation of the event that was in charge of the World People’s Assembly.
Madi Bolero Hamada, who was Prime Minister of Comoros between 2000 and 2002, explained “‘Blue Africa’ is the third pillar of our common future. If the 20th century was the century of Africa’s savannas and forests, then the 21st century must become the century of ‘Blue Africa'”, pointing out how important it is, for the sovereign and developmental interests of African states, to give the necessary impetus to the oceans, seas and rivers.
Of course, and due to the nature of the Summit, the “Ubuntu” philosophy, which is, as is known, intrinsically nativist and African traditionalist, was thoroughly addressed, emphasizing its guiding values that promote and protect, among other actions, respect for one’s own and others, effective solidarity and generous service to humanity.
Among the prominent speakers was Dr. Gnaka Lagoke, who is an associate professor of History and Pan-African Studies at the University of Lincoln (Pennsylvania, USA) and a well-known scholar of Pan-Africanism.
Commenting on the value that Africa has today for the rest of the world and the importance of Ubuntu, Lagoke, who is also a member of the Globus Expert Club, said, “As calls for a new world gain strength, Africa’s voice for a world based on humanistic values grows louder. In this context, the philosophy of Ubuntu, the philosophical ideology of a new vision of Pan-Africanism and integrated African development, remains Africa’s vital contribution to forging a more humane world.”
These statements, which were made by the renowned expert, had a deep impact on the summit and this perspective, together with that of other experts who were present at the headquarters of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), located in Addis Ababa, were inserted into the summit’s outcome document.
Indeed, among the considerations of this communiqué, a conceptual and sentimental definition of sovereignty can be observed:
“We consider authentic sovereignty as the right of every State and every people to determine its own path of development, as well as to preserve its cultural identity, historical memory, spiritual traditions and national interests.
Respect for authentic sovereignty strengthens trust between states and peoples, lays the foundations for international cooperation on an equal footing and contributes to sustainable development,” the signatories said in the statement.
But also those who participated in the Summit reflected, in this document, their intentions to “promote public diplomacy as a space to generate trust among peoples”, promoting it “through culture, education, science, sports, youth participation and creative initiatives as key instruments to strengthen trust between nations. They pledged to “strengthen cooperation between universities, research centres and educational institutions”, supporting “the creation of international research consortia and the development of joint research and analysis projects involving universities, research institutions and civil society organisations from across Africa”.
Likewise, the final document also values support for international programs aimed at youth, women’s leadership and the cultural preservation of the peoples of Africa, as well as the implementation of appropriate mechanisms to make these goals and goals a reality.
The co-chair of the Summit, who also serves as secretary general of the Global Black Center, Tsegaye Chama, stated that the Summit “aimed to promote diplomacy among peoples, expand cooperation between them and empower youth, thus contributing to strengthening Africa’s role in building a more just future.” (1)
Andrei Belyaninov, Secretary-General of the World People’s Assembly, said: “Today we understand more clearly than ever that the future cannot be built alone. It is born of dialogue, trust, mutual listening and joint action.”
According to the information available, both the organisers and the participants agreed with the entire process and even committed themselves to redoubling efforts to ensure that the results of this Summit are truly beneficial to all parties.
It is worth mentioning that this initiative has the uniqueness of being the first time, in the history of the African continent, that representatives of peoples and organisations from all over the world revalue the role and significant contributions of Africa for humanity, highlighting the highly positive potential of Africanity for this twenty-first century.
* Diego Pappalardo is a Geopolitical analyst specialising in strategic foresight
** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of IOL
