Political party leaders from across Africa have signed the Accra Declaration on the African Political Parties Initiative, pledging to work together to promote good governance, regional integration, peace, and inclusive development on the continent.
The declaration was adopted at the inaugural African Political Parties Summit in Accra, Ghana, convened by the Africa Governance Centre under the theme "From Politics to Prosperity: Integrating Inter-Party Collaboration for Africa's Development and Economic Transformation." In a joint statement issued on August 14, 2025, the leaders reaffirmed their commitment to "the universal ideals of peace, prosperity, justice, democracy, and inclusivity," while emphasising that democratic aspirations must be rooted in Africa's own history, culture, and people. "Inter-party dialogue and consensus building are the bedrocks of the indivisibility between politics and Africa's developmental and economic transformation," the declaration stated.
Acknowledging structural barriers that limit women, youth, and marginalised groups from fully participating in politics, the parties pledged to "take a more proactive, structured, intentional, and measurable approach to inclusivity and representation by nurturing political will and embarking on reforms that give more exposure and results for women and the youth." The ten-point declaration commits parties to: • Establish a neutral and impartial continental engagement framework; • Align electoral campaigns with long-term development goals; • Harness digital technology for engagement, civic education, and electoral integrity; and • Cooperate with other global party platforms such as the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) and COPPPAL. "The challenge before us is to build shared development priorities through structured, dignified, and constructive engagements across the political spectrum," the leaders said.
They also recognised the impact of technology on modern politics, noting that "social media and new digital innovation tools have altered the landscape of political party development, with benefits, disruptions, and threats to democracy, development, and human rights." The summit resolved to mandate its Steering Committee, working with the Africa Governance Centre, to consult all participating parties and create an implementation framework to operationalise the agreed principles.
