The Fifth edition of the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development, titled “A World in Flux, A Continent in Motion: Navigating Africa’s Progress Amid Global Shifts,” will take place on 19–20 October 2025 in the historical city of Aswan, Egypt—where the first edition of the Forum was held. The high-level platform will bring together African and international leaders to advance African-led solutions that strengthen the peace-security-development (PSD) nexus.

Why now?

In a world marked by protracted conflicts, widespread violence, and growing instability in several regions, this “world in flux” is testing the very foundations of multilateralism. These global headwinds are exacerbating inequalities and human suffering and are undermining confidence in international cooperation—major obstacles to achieving sustainable peace and development. At the same time, Africa stands at a pivotal moment amid these global uncertainties. Even as the continent grapples with violence and instability, it has demonstrated resilience and an ability to address recurrent crises. It also presents significant untapped potential, with substantial growth opportunities, emerging economies, abundant natural resources, and a rapidly growing and ambitious young population.

The fifth edition of the Aswan Forum will serve as a high-level platform to chart Africa’s course through this shifting landscape. It will explore how the continent can assert its leadership in responding to these challenges by strengthening regional resilience, deepening integration, and championing African-led solutions that reflect the continent’s aspirations for peace, development, and prosperity.

This year’s edition coincides with the global reflections on the 80th anniversary of the United Nations (UN), the 25th anniversary of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda and the 10th anniversary of the Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) Agenda. The Forum will place a strong emphasis on inclusivity and elevating the voices of women and youth in shaping sustainable solutions. It will also build on recent global and continental processes, engaging with emerging priorities such as climate–security risks, digital transformation, and the role of strategic infrastructure and trade in driving peace and growth.

“Since its launch, the Aswan Forum has been a driving force in bridging the gap between policy and practice, championing concrete, African-led initiatives through its unique “Aswan Cycle” implementation framework. It has emerged as the leading African platform addressing the links between peace, security, and development, bringing together diverse voices and partners from the peace and security community along with development stakeholders to turn shared vision into action. The upcoming fifth edition of the forum will take this further by engaging the business and philanthropic communities as essential partners in advancing sustainable peace and development across our continent.”, stated Ambassador Seif Kandeel, Director General of the CCCPA and Executive Director of the Aswan Forum.

Background

As the Champion of Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development (PCRD) in Africa, Egypt took the initiative to launch the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development during its presidency of the African Union (AU) in 2019. The Forum serves as an African-owned platform that brings together leaders from national governments, regional and international organizations, regional economic communities and regional mechanisms (RECs/RMs), financial institutions, the private sector, and civil society, together with visionaries, leading scholars, and practitioners for action-oriented discussions. It provides the first-of-its-kind platform in Africa that seeks to operationalize the PSD nexus, by championing African solutions, including through strengthening the links between policy and practice.

Through the four previous editions, the Forum has proven its value in fostering dialogue, building solidarity, and promoting collaborative solutions to complex challenges. It has become an essential platform for shaping policy discussions and has been recognized by the African Union Peace and Security Council (AU PSC) as a key platform for advancing the PSD nexus and PCRD efforts in Africa.

The Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding (CCCPA) serves as the Executive Secretariat of the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development.

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