Championing Africa’s Sustainable Development Future: The SDSN Hosts High-Level Engagements Alongside the AU Summit
On February 14-15, 2026, a delegation from the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) attended the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for a series of high-level engagements with senior African Leaders at the African Union (AU), reinforcing the AU’s central role in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
During the engagements, the delegation signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Ethiopia to advance the implementation of the SDGs and the African Union Agenda 2063 across the continent.
“The continent is at a historic turning point. The combination of rapid demographic growth, digital innovation, renewable energy, and expanding industrial capacity is creating an unprecedented window for structural transformation, which the African Union is uniquely positioned to champion,” said Sybil Fares, Senior Advisor on Middle East and Africa to the SDSN President.
With H.E. Francisca Belobe, African Union Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals, the parties discussed a partnership on research and policy dialogue in areas such as economic development, trade and monetary integration, and the energy transition and climate change, in support of the continent’s transformation.
The delegation met with several Heads of State, including the President of Mozambique, H.E. Daniel Chapo. President Chapo outlined his vision to translate Mozambique’s natural resource wealth into social progress through investment in education, electrification, infrastructure, and regional integration, with the SDSN expressing readiness to provide technical support for this economic transformation strategy.
The delegation also held several productive meetings withPrime Minister of Ethiopia, H.E. Abiy Ahmed Ali, President of Ghana, H.E. John Mahama, President of Angola, H.E. João Lourenço, and Prime Minister of Eswatini, H.E. Russell Dlamini, to further accelerate sustainable development across the continent.
