Background

The Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development is held annually to undertake integrated follow-up and review of the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the goals of Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want, of the African Union. 

As in previous ones, the twelfth session of the Regional Forum is being organized jointly by ECA, in collaboration with the African Union Commission, the African Development Bank and various entities of the United Nations system. It will bring together ministers, senior officials, experts and sustainability practitioners from members of ECA, the private sector, young people, civil society, academic institutions, entities of the United Nations system and development partners.

Theme

With fewer than five years remaining before 2030, the twelfth session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development will convene under the theme “Turning the Tide: Transformative and Coordinated Actions for the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063.” This theme aligns closely with that of the 2026 high-level political forum: “Transformative, equitable, innovative and coordinated actions for the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals for a sustainable future for all.” Both themes underscore the urgent need for a step change in implementing the two agendas by scaling up transformative and coordinated actions to accelerate progress and place Africa firmly on track to achieve their goals.

Objectives

The overall objective of the twelfth session of the Forum is to conduct a regional follow-up and review of progress made, facilitate peer-to-peer learning and advance transformative and coordinated actions to speed up progress on the Sustainable Development Goals and Goals of Agenda 2063 with a focus on strategic objectives of its second Ten-year Implementation Plan. The specific objectives of the twelfth session of the Forum are as follows:

• Serve as an inter-governmental and multistakeholder platform for review of progress, challenges and opportunities in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063 and, in line with the 2026 meeting of the high-level political forum on sustainable development, to conduct an in-depth review of the attainment in Africa 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) and the corresponding goals of Agenda 2063, focusing on the Strategic objectives of its Second Ten-Year Implementation Plan, 2024–2033;
• Show-case, strengthen learning and advocate the scaling of transformative and coordinated policy solutions and actions for the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs and the Second Ten-Year Implementation Plan for Agenda 2063.
• Generate Africa’s regional position and inputs to the 2026 meeting of the high-level political forum on sustainable development,  the 2026 United Nations Water Conference, the 2026 Africa Urban Forum and the 13th World Urban Forum; and measures to follow up on the fourth International Conference on Financing Development, the Second World Summit for Social Development and the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change;
• Build the capacity of and support 19 African countries  presenting their Voluntary National Reviews in the 2026 meeting of the High-level political Forum on sustainable development.
• Shape Africa’s priorities for the post-2030 United Nations framework for sustainable development.

Sub-themes

The activities of the twelfth session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development will be organized around the following sub-themes, each aligned with the five Sustainable Development Goals to be reviewed at the 2026 meeting of the high-level political forum on sustainable development:

1. Clean water and sanitation: Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of the 203o Agenda and Agenda 2063 (Goal-6)
2. Affordable and clean energy (Goal-7)
3. Industry, innovation and infrastructure (Goal-9)
4. Sustainable cities and communities (Goal-11)
5. Partnerships for the goals of the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063 (Goal-17)

Format

The twelfth session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development will be held in a hybrid format that will provide for both in-person and online participation, facilitating broad engagement and enabling contributions from diverse stakeholders at all levels.

The Forum will encompass a main segment comprise of the following:

1. Opening ceremony
2. High-level panel dialogues
3. Plenary round-table panels
4. Parallel meetings

The main segments will be informed by pre-session meetings and events, including a knowledge fair and Impact Labs on selected Goals.