Past events

This inaugural edition will convene more than 20 Heads of State and Government representatives, alongside senior leaders from leading international and regional financial institutions and key actors driving transformative change across Africa's most critical sectors, from infrastructure, trade and critical minerals to digital innovation, health markets and the emerging industries reshaping the continent's economic identity.The aim is to become the continent's premier gathering where political power meets entrepreneurial prowess, bridging the established engines of African growth with the new sectors defining its future.Co-organized by the Government of Egypt, Afreximbank, and AUDA-NEPAD, the Forum brings together Africa's most influential decision-makers in an unprecedented alliance of public and private sector leadership. Learn more.

Under the topic "Localizing the SDGs", the tightly-first session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 81) will open on Tuesday, 8 September 2026. The first day of the high-level General Debate will be Tuesday, 22 September 2026.

The 17th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) will be hosted by Mongolia in its capital city, Ulaanbaatar, from 17 to 28 August 2026.  This landmark global event will bring together delegates from 197 Parties, heads of state, ministers, representatives from international organizations, scientific communities, civil society, and the private sector to forge solutions to the interconnected challenges of desertification, land degradation and drought.  Mongolia, with a vast territory of 1.56 million square kilometers, is experiencing land degradation across approximately 76.9 per cent of its land. Recognizing the critical role of land management in addressing the triple environmental crisis, the country has become a key voice in global efforts to combat desertification and enhance land resilience. Mongolia's ambitious development agendas—particularly its interconnected national movements on environment and agriculture—position the country as a strategic host for COP17 of the UNCCD. COP17 will be convened in alignment with the United Nations International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP 2026), offering a crucial global opportunity to highlight sustainable rangeland management and the needs of more than one billion people who directly depend on these vital ecosystems for their livelihoods. During the two-week conference, participants will engage in a high-level segment that includes ministerial dialogues, along with multi-stakeholder forums and thematic discussions on science–policy integration, innovation, solutions, technology, and financing. The event is expected to foster impactful collaboration and action across sectors, advancing the goals of sustainable land management, ecosystem and land restoration, and the implementation of Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) targets. Mongolia's strong development and environmental agenda — including the national 'Billions of Trees' movement, the 'White Gold' community-based rural development initiative, and the 'Food Revolution' agri-soil initiative — positions the country as a regional and global model of action. Hosting COP17 will provide a historic opportunity to elevate international cooperation on land, climate, and biodiversity to a new level.  This pivotal conference will mark a significant step forward in uniting the world around solutions to land degradation and climate challenges, solidifying Mongolia’s contribution to building a sustainable and resilient future for all. 

Under the auspices of ECOSOC and the theme “Transformative, equitable, innovative and coordinated actions for the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs for a sustainable future for all,” the Forums will undertake an in-depth review of Sustainable Development Goals 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), 9 (Industry Innovation and Infrastructure), 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). Learn more.