Most high-level events on the continent focus on investment and policy, but how effective and inclusive are they? Last week in Kigali, a very different gathering took place that could trigger a new starting point, calling for a collective awakening to reclaim the continent’s sovereignty by asserting its agency.
The Africa Mindset Reset Forum, initiated by the African School of Governance under the theme “From Pan-Africanism to Meta-Africanism”, tried to do exactly this. It brought together, over a two-day conference at the end of August, current and former leaders from across the political, business and academic spectrum, as well as civil society representatives and a large crowd of young entrepreneurs and students from across the continent, the latter making up the majority of those in attendance.
For New African , this conversation could not have been more timely. Intellectual and economic sovereignty are issues at the heart of this publication as it celebrates 60 years, and decolonising the mind is a priority theme as we enter a new era for the publication and our group.
The African School of Governance (ASG), a relatively new institution based out of Kigali, was designed to create a new generation of leaders capable of bringing about a new path for development for the continent. Arguably, despite some great success stories, the last 60 years have not served us well. The key to unlocking the continent’s true sovereignty lies elsewhere: and this commences with disrupting the mindset of African societies.
The rise of Meta-Africanism
African solidarity helped liberate societies from colonialism and apartheid. This was Pan-Africanism. It was a political vision around which the whole continent rallied. We may have gained political independence, but it did not fully liberate the continent.
This is where Meta-Africanism comes in. Francis Gatare, President of ASG, in his opening speech explained that “Meta-Africanism calls for a pivot from African consciousness to African agency, and from articulating aspirations to the disciplined implementation of our plans and strategies.”
ASG may be training the next generation of political leaders who can drive Africa’s renaissance, but it also believes in transforming leadership across all strata of African society. The continent’s awakening can only happen if efficient and ethical leadership is ingrained across African society and reaches the masses.
For President Paul Kagame, a long-time proponent of Pan-Africanism, the next big conversation is about how we move from a mindset of dependency, deficiency and scarcity to one of confidence, abundance and possibilities. When do we stop expressing our vision and start implementing it? And when do we stop defending policies in the name of national sovereignty when they go against the interests of the people of Africa?
As the Rwandan president put it: “We can’t keep saying things that we have to do and then do different things. We have to match what we say and what we want with what we do to be able to see results.”
The change of mindset starts with asking “what do we have?” instead of “what do we lack?” “And what can we do?” instead of “what is obstructing us?” It means moving from fatality to agency. From envisioning to implementing.
The uncomfortable honesty
What made the Forum particularly unique was the openness and honesty of the discussions. The youth were also given a real voice, confronting policymakers through thought-provoking questions and comments.
Political leaders acknowledged what the continent has and what it can achieve, without falling into exaggerated or blind optimism. Because it is not only about having the vision; the mindset reset is about implementation.
Dr Sidi Ould Tah, president of the African Development Bank, similarly argued that Africa needs both confidence and capacity, warning that “confidence without capacity can quickly become disappointment.”
Leaders also did not hesitate to self-reflect, acknowledge shortcomings and openly discuss what they believe needs to change. Former South African president Thabo Mbeki stressed that Africa must face its current challenges, from peace and stability to national social cohesion, unemployment, poverty and underdevelopment, to find solutions and transform its reality. He also identified the quality of leadership and corruption as major obstacles to transformation. “We cannot turn a blind eye and hope that the reality will change by itself,” he stated.
The youth is ready. Are Africa’s leaders and institutions?
Perhaps what struck me most was the energy, vivacity and strong views of the young participants who had come from all corners of the continent. More than confidence, positive thinking and innovative ideas, they urged action and brought with them a sense of defiance towards those who had not yet embraced the new mindset, including the current crop of political leadership, and towards their continued failure to achieve the unity that Africa needs.
Undoubtedly, we stand at an important inflexion point: namely a shift in the global balance of power, increased interest in the continent, and Africa’s rapidly growing population. But we are entering a new era also because a new generation of Africans is ready. But what the conference also revealed is that those who have the mindset to start the struggle – the youth – are not necessarily the ones with the means to implement the necessary changes.
The dilemma that I saw emerging was that, on one side, leaders are admitting that they are limited in bringing about these changes without engaging the masses. On the other, a large young population saying they are ready, but do not yet have the means, mechanisms and space to step in and lead this transformation.
The reality is that the institutional foundations needed to support this transformation are not yet fully established. And many political leaders across the 54 countries are still not unified in their vision and have not yet leapt from old ways of thinking to a new, defiant mindset.
Yet we could feel the energy. We could feel the fire. One young representative from the audience addressed the panel with a provocative statement: “You keep on telling us to adopt a new mindset, to be confident and act. But we, the youth, are ready. Now the question is for you, the political leaders: are you ready?”
And many young voices overtly criticised what they see as the inaction of the African Union for failing to materialise the continent’s integration and free movement of goods and people.
This was not an isolated concern. The youth repeatedly pointed to the gap between the ambitions of African integration and the reality they experience, from the cost and visa barriers of travelling between African countries to the difficulty of creating opportunities and finding dignified jobs. They also made clear that they should not simply wait to be invited to the table. The message from some of the elders was equally direct: young Africans should not wait for permission; they should engage in politics, organise their communities and take responsibility for the change they want to see.
Fatoumata Jallow Tambajang, Former Gambian Vice President, replied to the youth’s demands, saying she hears their concerns, but that they need to work together. And this was precisely the objective of the Forum, to create a space for intergenerational dialogue, where experience and new ideas could meet rather than compete.
The real test: making space for a new generation
I felt that this was not merely another conference, but a key moment in history when a new struggle was being launched.
As Mbeki said, we remember 1945 as a key date for Pan-Africanism and the launch of the liberation struggle for independence. Perhaps 2026 will be remembered as a key date in a new liberation struggle: the struggle for sovereignty and the free mind.
The organisers concluded that this was not intended to be a one-time meeting. The Forum will take place annually, and the Meta-Africanism Centre is intended to help create a broader community around the movement. But speakers also insisted that it must become more than a platform for exchanges and ideas. Former prime minister of Ethiopia Hailemariam Dessalegn captured this challenge in his closing remarks: “Let’s not come back with new speeches but with stories of implementation.”
And this leaves me with a question. How can African leaders help young people acquire more space in the balance of power and in positions of leadership in the coming years? How can they be properly supported? What kind of networks can be established to connect and empower this new generation? And how can the private sector inject the funding needed to prepare the mass of young leaders that the continent will need to drive its transformation? Because perhaps this is the real challenge of moving from Pan-Africanism to Meta-Africanism.
The mindset is changing. The youth are ready. The question now is whether Africa’s institutions, political leadership and private sector are ready to move with them.
The post Pivoting towards Meta-Africanism: The youth is ready but will leaders make space to include them? appeared first on New African Magazine .
Pivoting towards Meta-Africanism: The youth is ready but will leaders make space to include them?
Aggregated summary from an independent source. Read the original at NewAfricanMagazine.