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 Â鶹APP Headquarters. Discussions can be followed online.

The HLPD is an interactive, forward-looking platform for policymakers, UN 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 Â鶹APP Secretary-General Ant¨®nio Guterres, African Union Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Â鶹APP Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohamed, the President of the UN General Assembly, Permanent Representatives, heads of UN 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

Â鶹APP

Programme

Master of ceremonies

• Ms Ahunna Eziakonwa, Assistant Secretary-General and Regional Director for Africa, UNDP

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 Â鶹APP

Opening messages

• H. E. Ms Annalena Baerbock, President of the 80^th session of the UN General Assembly
• Mr Ant¨®nio Guterres, Â鶹APP 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, Â鶹APP

Setting the stage

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

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, UNDP

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, Â鶹APP Under-Secretary-General?
  Executive Director, UN-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 Â鶹APP
• Mr. Eliot Minchenberg, Director, UNESCO Representative to the Â鶹APP
• Ms. Ann Thomas, Senior Adviser on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene, New York Headquarters, Â鶹APP Children¡¯s Fund (UNICEF)
• 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, Â鶹APP Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA)
• H.E. Mr Milan Jaya Nyamrajsingh Meetarbhan, Permanent Representative of Mauritius to the Â鶹APP, New York, and Chair of the African Group for the month of May