Three partnership priorities for building productive, resilient, and sustainable agri-food systems in Africa
May 05, 2026
Invited to the round table of Heads of State and Government on agriculture, moderated by Jean-Michel Severino, the Foundation presented the leaders in attendance with a note identifying three priorities: strengthening agricultural value chains, further mobilising private investment, and accelerating African regional integration.
The announcements made following the Summit show that these priorities are now gaining increasing traction. The mobilisation of African public banks and donors in support of sustainable agriculture, the expansion of the FASA fund for African agricultural SMEs, and the launch of the FARM+ initiative are all based precisely on this logic of leveraging resources, engaging the private sector and structuring agricultural value chains.
FERDI’s participation in the Social Pavilion event held prior to the Summit provided an opportunity to discuss, during the dedicated panel session, the chapter on international solidarity in the White Paper drafted by the Foundation for Democracy, led by Achille Mbembe. This White Paper was presented to the President of the French Republic at the official launch of the Summit on 11th May.
Our comments encouraged the authors to consider the current state of international solidarity not solely as a relationship between France — or even Europe — and Africa, but rather as a broader dynamic involving all relevant actors, particularly China and the United States. We also encouraged them to renew the narrative on solidarity by placing greater emphasis on the language of shared and converging interests.
