The African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) has launched an Africa-wide call for strategic reflections as part of the NEPAD@25 Silver Jubilee celebrations, inviting scholars, policymakers, institutions, civil society, youth, and development practitioners to contribute innovative ideas that will help shape Africa’s future development agenda.

The initiative commemorates 25 years of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), while providing a platform to assess its achievements, reflect on lessons learned, and develop forward-looking strategies aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

Selected submissions will form part of the official NEPAD@25 Reflection Compendium, with the top five contributions presented during the Grand Silver Jubilee Colloquium.

Celebrating 25 Years of Africa’s Development Vision

According to AUDA-NEPAD, the anniversary marks more than a historic milestone. It represents an opportunity to revisit the continent’s development journey and strengthen Africa’s collective vision for sustainable growth, regional integration, innovation, and inclusive prosperity.

Since its establishment in 2001, NEPAD has evolved from:

The NEPAD Secretariat (2002)
The NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (2010)
The African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD)

Throughout its evolution, the institution has played a central role in implementing continental development programmes, fostering partnerships, and advancing the objectives of Agenda 2063.

Wide Range of Contributors Invited

AUDA-NEPAD is encouraging submissions from a broad spectrum of stakeholders across Africa and the diaspora.

Eligible contributors include:

Universities and higher education institutions
Research organisations and policy think tanks
Government ministries and public institutions
African Union organs and Regional Economic Communities
Private sector leaders and entrepreneurs
Civil society organisations
Journalists and media professionals
Youth organisations and youth-led movements
Women leaders and gender equality advocates
Development practitioners
Multilateral organisations
Pan-African scholars and thought leaders
African diaspora communities

The call aims to encourage diverse perspectives that can contribute to Africa’s long-term development priorities.

Objectives of the Call

Contributors are invited to submit evidence-based, action-oriented reflections that address key aspects of Africa’s development journey.

Submissions should seek to:

Revisit NEPAD’s founding vision and historical achievements.
Assess its relevance in addressing today’s development challenges.
Examine Africa’s position within changing global political and economic landscapes.
Strengthen governance systems and institutional accountability.
Promote collaboration among governments, academia, civil society, youth, and the private sector.
Identify innovative strategies that support sustainable and inclusive development.

The initiative seeks practical recommendations capable of informing future continental policies and development programmes.

Priority Reflection Themes

AUDA-NEPAD has identified several thematic areas for contributors to explore.

Suggested themes include:

Africa’s Development Journey: Achievements, Impact and the Road Ahead.
Pan-Africanism, African Agency, State Capability and Development Sovereignty.
Human Capital Development, Innovation and Social Inclusion.
Regional Integration, Industrialisation and Shared Prosperity.
Agriculture, Climate Resilience and Sustainable Food Systems.

Contributors are also encouraged to mainstream several cross-cutting issues throughout their submissions, including:

Gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Youth inclusion.
Good governance and accountability.
South-South cooperation.
Climate resilience.
Peace and security.

These themes reflect the continent’s evolving priorities under Agenda 2063 and broader sustainable development objectives.

Accepted Submission Formats

The call welcomes a variety of scholarly and policy-oriented contributions.

Accepted formats include:

Position papers.
Strategic essays.
Conceptual thought pieces.
Youth innovation papers.
Policy recommendations.

Submissions should be between 1,500 and 3,000 words.

To encourage broad continental participation, contributions may be submitted in:

English.
French.
Arabic.
Portuguese.

Outstanding Contributions to Receive Continental Recognition

Selected submissions will be published in the official NEPAD@25 Reflection Compendium, creating a lasting record of strategic thinking on Africa’s future development.

In addition, the five highest-ranked contributions will be presented during the Grand Silver Jubilee Colloquium, providing authors with an opportunity to engage directly with policymakers, development experts, and continental leaders.

Youth submissions will receive special recognition through a dedicated panel focused on revitalising Pan-Africanism and strengthening youth leadership in Africa’s development agenda.

Submission Deadline

Interested contributors are required to submit their papers by 22 July 2026 at 17:00 SAST.

Submissions should be sent via email to the designated AUDA-NEPAD addresses provided in the official call for papers.

The NEPAD@25 initiative represents a significant opportunity for African scholars, policymakers, innovators, and development practitioners to influence future continental strategies while contributing to a collective vision for a more integrated, resilient, and prosperous Africa.

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Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the organization offering the fellowship. For any inquiries, please contact the official organization directly. Please do not send your applications & CVs to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails, we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.