A Call to Action: The 11th Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa Wraps Up with Key Insights

Ethiomonitor -Addis Ababa 

October  28, 2025

The three-day 11th Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa, which took place between October 24 and 26 in Bahir Dar, the war-torn Amhara region capital, and the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, concluded with a decisive call for action. The forum brought together African Union (AU) officials, ministers, and experts to deliberate on pressing peace and security issues facing the continent.

Among the matters of discussion were terrorism in the Sahel region, the situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, and challenges in the Horn of Africa.

Despite the African Union’s initiative, “Silencing the Guns,” aimed at ending all armed conflicts by 2020—later extended to 2030—Africa continues to grapple with persistent violence that undermines development.

Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, AU Commission Chairperson, emphasized the need to translate ideas into actionable solutions for bettering the lives of African citizens.

 “Our biggest challenge is translating ideas into actions that improve lives,” said Youssouf, urging the continent’s leadership to collaborate closely with the AU in implementing the vision of a prosperous Africa.

The forum also highlighted the critical role of youth, who represent a significant portion of Africa’s population, in shaping the continent’s future.

“Seventy-five percent of the population in many countries in Africa are young people. So in a couple of years, we have to plan for them, coming out of university, finding a job, and finding decent living conditions,” said Michelle Ndiaye, Director for Transformative Peace in Africa at the Open Society Foundations, articulating the urgency of planning for the younger generation.

“Otherwise, we’re going to have movements of Gen Zs everywhere, like those seen in Madagascar, Morocco, and other countries,” she warned.

The importance of strengthening Africa’s role in a changing global order was also another major agenda discussed by participants.

 “We (Africans) must be part of the development, part of the technology, part of the AI revolution. When we say we need a seat at the table, we should bring our own chair and take a seat in the global arena, as we are integral members of this world,” Prof. Cheryl Hendricks, Executive Director of the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation, told Ethio monitor.

Launched in 2012 by the late Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, the Tana Forum has emerged as one of Africa’s leading informal platforms for dialogue on peace and security, believed to offer potential solutions to complex security challenges across Africa.

 “The Tana Forum has been a platform where individuals from diverse fields come together, including decision-makers, and what we discuss here is used by decision-makers,” Ndiaye told EM.

The forum’s return follows a two-year pause due to “unforeseen circumstances,” according to organizers from the Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS) at Addis Ababa University.