His Excellency Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, Former President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, has joined African leaders, policymakers, diplomats and security experts in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, for the 12th Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa, taking place from 23–25 October 2026.
Convened under the theme “Pathways to Peace in Africa: Economic Sovereignty and Geopolitical Transformation,” the Forum comes at a critical moment for the continent, as protracted conflicts, shifting geopolitical alliances and growing competition over strategic resources present increasingly complex challenges to Africa’s peace, security and development.
Nowhere are these challenges more evident than in the Horn of Africa, where the devastating conflict in Sudan, continuing instability in Somalia and South Sudan, and renewed regional tensions underscore the urgent need for sustained diplomacy, stronger institutions and coordinated African responses.
Beyond the immediate security concerns, this year’s deliberations examine a fundamental question: how can Africa secure lasting peace without greater control over the economic resources, financial systems and strategic decisions that shape its future?
For President Koroma, whose leadership experience encompasses post-conflict reconstruction, national development and continental diplomacy, these discussions speak directly to the relationship between political stability, accountable governance and economic opportunity.
As part of the Forum, President Koroma is scheduled to contribute to the high-level panel, “From the Margins to the Centre: Building an African Model for Peace and Sovereignty in an Age of Geopolitical Rivalry.”
The discussion will explore how African nations can strengthen their economic independence, transform natural-resource wealth into sustainable development, reinforce regional cooperation and build the institutional capacity necessary to determine their own peace and security priorities.
The Tana Forum also presents an opportunity to move beyond dialogue towards practical commitments that strengthen conflict prevention, support mediation efforts and advance African ownership of the continent’s peace and security architecture.
President Koroma’s participation reflects his continued commitment to these priorities and to the collective responsibility of African leadership in shaping a more peaceful, secure and prosperous continent.
Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa
