The African Political Parties Initiative (APPI), established within the Africa Governance Centre (AGC), has announced its inaugural Bureau Leadership following the Second African Political Parties Summit (APPS 2026), held in Addis Ababa from 5 to 7 November 2026.

Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, National Chairman of Ghana’s National Democratic Congress (NDC), will chair the Bureau, supported by ten Regional Vice-Chairs drawn from political parties across Africa’s five regions. Dr. Bikila Hurisa of Ethiopia’s Prosperity Party serves as Executive Secretary of APPI.

The announcement follows the adoption of APPI’s Charter by heads of participating political parties and delegations at a closed-door session on 6 November 2026.

The Charter provides for the transition from the Initiative’s founding Steering Committee to its inaugural governance arrangements and a three-year leadership mandate. The Bureau was formally inaugurated on 7 November 2026, the closing day of the Summit.

INAUGURAL BUREAU LEADERSHIP

Chair - Johnson Asiedu Nketiah (Ghana), National Chairman, National Democratic Congress (NDC).

North Africa — Prof. Benmebarek Abdelkrim (Algeria), Secretary-General, Front de Libération Nationale (FLN); H.E. Dr. Mohamed Ould Mouloud (Mauritania), President, Union of Forces of Progress.

West Africa — Dr. Luther Tarpeh (Liberia), Chairman, Unity Party; H.E. Pascal Affi N’Guessan (Côte d’Ivoire), President, Front Populaire Ivoirien and former Prime Minister of Côte d’Ivoire.

Central Africa — Hon. Augustin Kabuya Tshilumba (Democratic Republic of the Congo), President and Secretary-General, Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS); shua Osih (Cameroon), Chairman, Social Democratic Front (SDF).

East Africa — Dr. Asha-Rose Migiro (Tanzania), Secretary-General, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM); Richard Todwong (Uganda), Secretary-General, National Resistance Movement (NRM).

Southern Africa —Nthati Moorosi (Lesotho), Secretary-General, Revolution for Prosperity; Sophia Shaningwa (Namibia), Secretary-General, South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO).

INSTITUTIONAL AND PROGRAMME LEADERSHIP

•Benedicta Lasi (Ghana) — Institutional Co-Chair; Founder and Chair, Africa Governance Centre.

•Prof. Nelson Oppong (Ghana) — Institutional Member; Executive Director, Africa Governance Centre.

•Dr. Bikila Hurisa (Ethiopia) — Executive Secretary, APPI; Prosperity Party of Ethiopia.

•Prof. Modeste Bahati Lukwebo (Democratic Republic of the Congo) — Chair, Council of African Political Party Schools and Institutes (CAPPSI); President, Alliance des Forces Démocratiques du Congo (AFDC); former President of the Senate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

•Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr (Sierra Leone) — Chair, African Women Political Leadership Summit (AWPLS); Mayor of Freetown.

•Dr. Abdullahi Dayo Israel (Nigeria) — Chair, African Youth Political Forum (AYPF); National Youth Leader, All Progressives Congress (APC).

MANDATE AND NEXT STEPS

During its inaugural term, the Bureau will guide APPI’s membership and procedural arrangements, strengthen cooperation among participating political parties and advance the Initiative’s programme of political education and leadership development.

A principal priority will be consultations on APPI Agenda 2040, a proposed longterm framework for strengthening political party institutions, policy capacity and their contribution to Africa’s development.

APPI was launched at the inaugural African Political Parties Summit in Accra, Ghana, in August 2025, and builds on the commitments of the Accra Declaration. The 2026 Summit was convened in Addis Ababa in partnership with Ethiopia’s Prosperity Party under the theme “Governing for Growth: African Political Parties as Architects of Africa’s Economic Future.”

The Africa Governance Centre congratulates the inaugural members of the Bureau and looks forward to working closely with its leadership, participating political parties and continental partners to advance the Initiative’s vision of stronger political institutions, democratic governance and inclusive development across Africa.

About APPI

The African Political Parties Initiative is a continental platform within the Africa Governance Centre that facilitates cooperation, political education, institutional development and policy engagement among African political parties.

About the Africa Governance Centre (AGC)

The Africa Governance Centre is an independent governance institution committed to strengthening democratic governance, political institutions and leadership across Africa. Through research, policy engagement, capacity development and strategic partnerships, AGC works with political actors and other stakeholders to advance inclusive governance and Africa’s sustainable development.