Addis Ababa, October 23/2025 (ABN)
The city of Bahir Dar once again stands at the heart of continental dialogue as it hosts the 2025 Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa, a prestigious annual gathering of African heads of state, policymakers, scholars, and global partners committed to addressing the continent’s most pressing peace and security challenges.
Held under the theme “Reimagining African Security Governance in an Era of Global Transition,” the 2025 edition of the Tana Forum seeks to deepen collective understanding and forge actionable solutions to Africa’s evolving security landscape from conflict and terrorism to climate change, cyber threats, and economic instability.
Launched in 2012 and named after the iconic Lake Tana, source of the Blue Nile, the Forum has grown into Africa’s premier platform for open, non-official dialogue on peace and security, fostering African-led solutions through frank, forward-thinking discussions. The Tana Forum embodies the principle of “African solutions to African problems,” aligning closely with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the Silencing the Guns initiative.
This year’s high-level participants include African presidents, ministers, former leaders, and representatives from the African Union Commission (AUC), United Nations (UN), Regional Economic Communities (RECs), academia, and civil society. Special focus sessions will examine the intersection between security, governance, technology, and sustainable development, with emphasis on empowering African institutions to respond to emerging transnational threats.
The Tana Forum Secretariat, based at the Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS) of Addis Ababa University, continues to play a central role in shaping the intellectual and policy direction of the Forum. By blending research insights with political dialogue, it ensures that each year’s outcomes contribute meaningfully to policymaking across the continent.
Beyond policy discussions, the 2025 Tana Forum celebrates Ethiopia’s leadership in hosting a platform that underscores Africa’s voice in global security governance. Bahir Dar’s serene setting on the shores of Lake Tana symbolizing peace, continuity, and renewal provides the ideal atmosphere for reflection, consensus-building, and the reaffirmation of Africa’s collective commitment to peace and prosperity.
As global dynamics shift and new challenges emerge, the Tana Forum remains a vital continental instrument nurturing dialogue, building trust, and charting Africa’s independent path toward lasting peace and security.
