Africa Drive for Democracy Conference 2023

The 2023 Africa Drive for Democracy Conference is the second edition of the annual gathering of pro-democracy actors on the Continent. Slated for the third week of July, the gathering brings together the diversity of Africa’s democratic community, including scholars, religious leaders, NGO leaders, donors, trade unionists, students, professionals, artists, women leaders, farmers’ associations and political formations. The conference is the flagship event of the Africa Drive for Democracy network which is co-convened and hosted by the MS Training Center for Development Cooperation, the Institute for Security Studies and the Center for Strategic Litigation.

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The main thrust of the conference is to take stock of the state of democracy on the continent, highlight and celebrate the achievements of the African democratic movement, learn from the challenges encountered, and craft forward-looking approaches towards promoting vibrant and tolerant democracies. 

The overarching theme of the 2023 conference is Social Movements and Democratization in Africa. In that regard, the conference will deliberate on the state of social movements on the African continent vis a vis the multiple crises recorded throughout the region and how such movements could respond to the emerging challenges and opportunities. The conference will reflect on the historical role of social movements on the continent and take stock of current efforts including the successes and failures registered in order to subsequently chart pathways for strengthening the pro democracy movement on the continent.