Kenya is set to host the 2023 African NGO Summit, in Nairobi, next month from 21-22 November 2023 at the Trademark Hotel.
The event is organised by the African NGO Council, an Africa regional membership association of NGOs, and it will bring together 700 national and international NGOs, donor institutions, diplomats, philanthropists, civil society actors, political leaders, journalists, social influencers and activists, policymakers and NGO regulators from across the continent.
At this crucial time, the Summit will bring together this unique audience to discuss regional and international partnership opportunities for realising sustainable peace and human development in Africa and the NGO funding ecosystem across 13 main sessions and side events.
“In recent years, particularly since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, several emerging issues have posed severe challenges to Africa’s non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the development and humanitarian finance ecosystem. Overcoming these challenges by providing new opportunities for NGOs is fundamental to expanding and positioning African NGOs for future progress and growth that leaves no one behind,” says Peter SaSellu, President and CEO of the African NGO Council.
The Summit aims to help African NGOs, donors and operating partners to access regional and international partnership opportunities, mobilise diverse financial resources, benefit from regional and international networks, and increase their ability to scale up operations. Moreover, the Summit will act as a continental platform for national and international leaders from the NGO community, development and humanitarian sectors, philanthropy, finance ecosystem, public and private sectors to advocate inclusive policies and strategies required to support African NGOs and partners.
Among several objectives, the Summit seeks to enhance partnerships and expand NGO opportunities and new funding across the Africa region by engaging NGO funders, impact investors and connecting them with policymakers and other stakeholders to foster civil society-friendly policies and conducive operating climate. It will also serve as a platform for inspiring civil society leaders and social entrepreneurs with Africa regional and global best practices, business and operating models and success stories.
According to Catherine George, the Executive Director of the African NGO Summit, “The Summit will provide networking and clustering opportunities and fostering strategic alliances. It will help in delivering targeted capacity-building to government entities, funders, impact investors, business enablers and NGOs. At the end of the day, it will help engage African stakeholders in developing improved NGO policy frameworks that promote inclusive and sustainable socioeconomic growth and build resilient infrastructures to nurture African NGOs for meaningful impacts.”
Stephen K. Cheboi, the Executive Chairman of the National Council of NGOs in Kenya, the official host organisation of the Summit, says “We’re delighted that we are accorded by our colleagues at the African NGO Council to host the African NGO Summit here in Nairobi, Kenya. We at the National Council of NGOs in Kenya and all our NGOs in Kenya are humbled to indeed host our colleagues and other key stakeholders from around the world during the period.”
He goes on to say, “This will be a great opportunity to interact with various actors from around the world, and we welcome you all to Kenya from 21-22 November 2023.” Veronica Lewis, the Membership and Communications Director at the African NGO Council says: “As an event created by and for the African NGO community and its partners, discussions at this event will be used in future advocacy efforts and where necessary, embedded in training and capacity building endeavours for presentations to national and Africa regional policymakers, development partners and other stakeholders such as influencers and enablers and the overall NGO community.”
Each day will start with an inspirational panel that showcases inspiring national and international NGOs from across the continent and globally, and donor case studies showcasing impact funding in NGOs and social enterprises, followed by an opportunities know-how discussion to elaborate the practical interventions needed to strengthen NGO access to opportunities.
After lunch, parallel panel discussions will provide an overview of best practices in the Africa region on strategies, policies, and support programmes. Subsequently, three parallel capacity-building workshops and interactive discussions will take place to provide hands-on tools and methodologies to empower African NGOs and provide new impact investment opportunities for emerging donors and impact investors.
In addition, the Summit will provide an interactive exhibition space for 50 conveners, including NGOs, philanthropists, social enterprises, impact investors, bankers, policymakers, business enablers, intergovernmental organisations, donors, and international delegations.