LocationsUNDP at the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development #ARFSD2025
April 1, 2025
Event Details
April 6, 2025
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April 12, 2025
See description for each event
Speke Resort Convention Centre, Kampala, Uganda (rooms in description)- Some events are hybrid (registration link in description)
The Eleventh Session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD) will take place from 9 to 11 April 2025 at the Speke Resort Convention Centre in Munyonyo, Kampala, Uganda. Hosted by the Government of Uganda and the UN Economic Commission for Africa, in collaboration with the African Union Commission, the African Development Bank and UN agencies, the forum will focus on “Driving job creation and economic growth through sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063.”
The objectives of this edition include a comprehensive review of progress, challenges and opportunities in implementing the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063 with specific focus on five key SDGs and the corresponding aspirations of Agenda 2063 with a special focus on its second ten-year implementation plan (STYIP).
- SDG 3 (good health and well-being)
- SDG 5 (gender equality)
- SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth)
- SDG 14 (life below water)
- SDG 17 (partnerships for the goals)
Visit UNECA's website for more information about ARFSD.
UNDP at #ARFSD2025
UNDP will lead and support a number of high-level events on the margins of the forum. These discussions will cover youth employment, sovereign financing, digital innovation, energy access, carbon markets and sustainable livelihoods. The sessions reflect UNDP’s regional priorities and offer concrete entry points for collaboration across national, continental and global processes.
Check below for details on UNDP’s pre-events and side events starting from 6 April.
Dialogue on COP 29 Outcomes, Carbon Markets and Energy
9:00-17:00 GMT+3 | Albert Hall
This full-day dialogue, convened under the Africa Regional Collaborative Platform, will bring together UN Resident Coordinators, Regional Directors and key partners to explore how Africa can translate the outcomes of COP29 into action. The sessions will focus on carbon markets, energy access and broader environmental sustainability goals, with the aim of shaping collective UN support and advancing national climate priorities in line with the SDGs and Agenda 2063.
Accelerating transformation through the implementation of the second ten-year implementation plan of Agenda 2063
All day | Albert Hall
This pre-forum event will focus on how UN Country Teams can support the effective implementation of the Second Ten-Year Implementation Plan (STYIP) of Agenda 2063. The session will highlight the importance of development plans as instruments of commitment across all governance levels and explore how to strengthen delivery through national systems and integrated reporting. UNDP will join partners in reinforcing coordinated action and advancing Africa’s transformation agenda through practical support, policy tools and data systems. Co-organized by UNECA, the African Union Commission, UNDP, AUDA-NEPAD, UNICEF and ACBF.
Seventh African Science, Technology and Innovation Forum
All day (day 1) | Victoria Ballroom
The African Science, Technology and Innovation Forum brings together policymakers, researchers, entrepreneurs and development actors to explore how digital and emerging technologies can drive inclusive growth and decent jobs. The seventh edition, held ahead of ARFSD-11, will focus on leveraging science, technology and innovation to accelerate progress on the SDGs and Agenda 2063, with deep dives on health, gender, education, economic transformation and digital inclusion.
Sustaining Progress toward Eliminating Violence Against Women and Girls through Enhanced Economic Opportunity
16:30-18:30 GMT+3 | Bunyoni Hall
The Spotlight Initiative side event at ARFSD-11 aims to catalyze sustained action to eliminate violence against women and girls (VAWG) by advancing women’s economic empowerment (WEE) across Africa. By convening key stakeholders, including governments, regional bodies, financial institutions, UN agencies and civil society, the event will spotlight the urgent need for integrated, gender-transformative solutions that address economic and social drivers of VAWG. Co-organized by the Spotlight Initiative and partners, the event will highlight innovative financing strategies, policy linkages and scalable programmes, contributing to the continent’s progress toward the SDGs and Agenda 2063. Key insights will inform ongoing global discussions, including the 2025 Financing for Development Conference.
Youth and Children Forum
9:00-19:30 | Rooms: Sheena and Meera
The ARSDF-11 Pre -Youth Event aims to catalyze action towards achieving youth-led solutions for employment, economic growth, and sustainable development in Africa. By bringing together key stakeholders, namely young entrepreneurs, private sector, financial institutions, Member States, Civil society organization and the United Nations, the event will not only highlight the urgent need for job creation but will also chart a collective path toward realizing the aspirations of Africa’s youth in line with the SDGs and Agenda 2063. The event is co-organized by the Government of Uganda, UNDP, ECA, OSAA, DGC and the Pan-African Youth Union. Key messages will contribute to the Africa session of the 2025 ECOSOC Youth Forum in New York.
Advancing inclusive development during complex political transitions
16:30 GMT+3 | Majestic Room
Organized by the Africa Facility to Support Inclusive Transitions (AFSIT), and African Futures, this side event will focus on the intersection between inclusive development and political transitions, drawing from a recent UNDP report: ‘Advancing Inclusive Development: Policy options for Burkina Faso, Guinea, Gabon, Mali and Niger’. The session will bring together policymakers, development practitioners, civil society representatives and private sector actors to exchange insights, share experiences and propose policy recommendations aimed at promoting inclusive development complex political transition contexts.
Energy Access Investment Forum: Official Opening
08:30 GMT+3 | Room to be announced
Hosted under the patronage of Uganda’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, the Energy Access Investment Forum (EAIF) is the leading annual event dedicated to advancing renewable electrification. Organized by the Alliance for Rural Electrification, with the support of GET.invest, the forum brings together private and public investors, development partners and energy sector stakeholders to accelerate access to clean, affordable and sustainable energy. The 2025 edition will mark EAIF’s tenth anniversary and will run in parallel with the ARFSD. The programme will feature expert panels, matchmaking sessions, an exhibition and a field visit, with a focus on investment opportunities, business partnerships and scalable solutions for energy access in Africa.
The Role of Faith Communities and Institutions in driving Social Change and Transformation through partnerships to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and the Agenda 2063 – The Africa We want
9:00-17:30 GMT+3 | Albert Hall
Held ahead of ARFSD-11, this pre-event brings together faith leaders and institutions from across Africa to reflect on their contributions to the SDGs and Agenda 2063. Building on earlier interfaith consultations and advocacy, the forum will showcase faith-led initiatives for community empowerment, examine opportunities for stronger engagement in sustainable development, and reaffirm a shared commitment to the “leaving no one behind” principle. The event aims to strengthen partnerships between faith communities, governments and development actors to support inclusive, evidence-based progress across the continent.
Seventh African Science, Technology and Innovation Forum
All day (day 2) | Victoria Ballroom
The African Science, Technology and Innovation Forum brings together policymakers, researchers, entrepreneurs and development actors to explore how digital and emerging technologies can drive inclusive growth and decent jobs. The seventh edition, held ahead of ARFSD-11, will focus on leveraging science, technology and innovation to accelerate progress on the SDGs and Agenda 2063, with deep dives on health, gender, education, economic transformation and digital inclusion.
Official Opening & Presidential Dialogue
08:30-10:30 GMT+3 | Rwenzori A & B
The Eleventh session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD-11) is jointly organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the Government of the Republic of Uganda in collaboration with the African Union Commission, the African Development Bank and the United Nations system organisations.
Today includes:
- High-Level Panel 1: Increasing ambition and finding innovative solutions for mobilizing sustainable finance and efficient use
- High-Level Panel 2: Scaling sustainable, inclusive, science-based, evidence-based & data- driven solutions to dramatically accelerate SDGs and Agenda 2063
Unlocking the Economic Potential of Women and Youth: Transformative Power in Africa
13:30 GMT+3 / Bunyonyi Room
This side event focuses on sustainable, inclusive solutions to address the barriers women and youth face in the economic landscape and how to empower them to drive Africa's growth, in alignment with SDGs and Agenda 2063. With Africa’s youngest population and a growing number of women entrepreneurs, unlocking the economic potential of women and youth is key to driving inclusive economic growth. Despite challenges such as limited access to finance and education, these demographics have the potential to significantly contribute to Africa’s economic transformation through targeted interventions.
Exhibition and Knowledge Fair at ARFSD-11
At ARFSD-11, we're hosting an interactive booth as part of the Exhibition and Knowledge Fair, offering a space for participants to engage directly with knowledge products that support the implementation of the SDGs and Agenda 2063.
Catalyzing Jobs and Sustainable Livelihoods: Integrated Approaches for Inclusive Growth through Structural Transformation in Africa
16:30-18:00 GMT+3 | Amethyst Room
This side event focuses on innovative solutions to shift African economies toward inclusive, employment-rich growth. It will introduce an integrated systems approach that connects integrated policy frameworks, local economic development and development intelligence to support sustainable structural transformation. The session will bring together voices from government, the private sector, academia, local development actors and regional partners to deliberate and reflect on UNDP’s integrated systems approach’s potential to catalyze inclusive job-rich growth through sustainable structural transformation. Organized by UNDP RSCA with support from ECA and the African Union Commission (TBC), the event contributes directly to ARFSD’s focus on job creation and inclusive growth in line with SDG 8 and Agenda 2063.