The 2026 Africa Dialogue Series will culminate with the High-level Policy Dialogue on 29 May from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. New York local time. It will take place in Conference Room 4 at the United Nations Headquarters. Discussions can be followed online.

The HLPD is an interactive, forward-looking platform for policymakers, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ experts and practitioners to exchange on the elaboration of actionable strategies for accelerating Africa's development. This segment of the ADS will feature the participation of United Nations Secretary-General Ant¨®nio Guterres, African Union Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohamed, the President of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ General Assembly, Permanent Representatives, heads of Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ entities, delegates, other senior officials and members of civil society organizations and youth representatives.

Join us in Conference Room 4, or follow the discussions live

Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ

Programme

Master of ceremonies

• Ms Ahunna Eziakonwa, Assistant Secretary-General and Regional Director for Africa, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵDP

Session One

10:00 to 11:00 am

Welcome remarks and moderator

• H.E. Mr Mohammed Edrees, Ambassador, Permanent Observer of the African Union to the United Nations

Opening messages

• H. E. Ms Annalena Baerbock, President of the 80^th session of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ General Assembly
• Mr Ant¨®nio Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General (video-message)
• H.E. Mr Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission (video-message)

Keynote speech

• Ms Amina Mohammed, Deputy-Secretary-General, United Nations

Setting the stage

• H.E. Mr Coly Seck, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Senegal to the United Nations
• H.E. Mr Samuel Yao Kumah,?Permanent?Representative?of Ghana?to the United Nations

Youth Voices

• Ms Fatou M'bou, African Focal Point for the World Youth Parliament for Water and Co-Founder of the African Youth Parliament for Water
• Mr Arif Abdeljalil, formerAfrican Union Youth Ambassador for Peace, Northern Region

Session Two

11:00 to 12:45 pm

Interactive Roundtable on the theme

Moderator

• Ms Ahunna Eziakonwa, Assistant Secretary-General and Regional Director for Africa, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵDP

Subtheme 1: A Strategic Asset Management Approach to Africa¡¯s Water Resources

• Ms Mama Keita, Deputy Executive Secretary, Economic Commission for Africa

Subtheme 2: Water and Sanitation as Drivers for Economic Transformation and Sustainable Urbanisation

• Ms Anacl¨¢udia Rossbach, United Nations Under-Secretary-General?
  Executive Director, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ-Habitat
• H.E. Mrs Nardos Bekele-Thomas, Chief Executive Officer, AUDA-NEPAD

Subtheme 3: Water and Sanitation for Peace, Energy, and Food Security

• H.E. Mr. Chola Milambo, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Zambia to the United Nations
• Mr. Eliot Minchenberg, Director, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵESCO Representative to the United Nations
• Ms. Ann Thomas, Senior Adviser on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene, New York Headquarters, United Nations Children¡¯s Fund (Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵICEF)
• Dr. Ottilia Maunganidze, Head for Special Projects, Institute for Security Studies - Africa

Interactive Dialogue with Member States and other participants

Session Three

12:45 to 1:00 pm

Closing Segment

• Ms Cristina Duarte, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA)
• H.E. Mr Milan Jaya Nyamrajsingh Meetarbhan, Permanent Representative of Mauritius to the United Nations, New York, and Chair of the African Group for the month of May