From Commitments to Action: Africa Social Impact Summit takes Africa’s financing agenda to UNGA 2026

Building on the momentum of the fifth edition of the Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS 2026), held in Lagos in July, the Africa Social Impact Summit is taking its call for action to the global stage. At the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 2026) in New York, the Africa Social Impact Summit Global Action Forum will convene global leaders, investors, policymakers, development institutions, philanthropists, businesses and social impact organisations for a high-level dialogue on Africa’s development priorities and the pathways to advancing inclusive and sustainable growth across the continent.

The inaugural New York edition is being convened by Sterling One Foundation with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and RALLY— an Indianapolis-based coalition of InnoPower Global, Sagamore, as Strategic Co-Hosts, along with the support and participation of other leading private-sector and institutional partners. Speakers will include senior African regional and state public officials and leading experts on market-based social impact solutions.

Themed “Financing Africa’s Future: Mobilising Capital, Strategic Partnerships and Collective Giving for Sustainable Development,” the Global Action Forum will examine Africa’s development financing landscape and the urgent need to mobilise resources for sustainable development. It will explore how diverse capital sources, strategic partnerships and collective giving can help bridge financing gaps, drive inclusive growth and deliver long-term impact.

The Forum builds on the outcomes and commitments emerging from ASIS 2026, which brought together leaders from Africa and beyond to explore innovative financing models, strengthen cross-sector partnerships and advance solutions to some of the continent’s most pressing development challenges. By taking these conversations to the global stage, the Forum will create opportunities to deepen existing commitments, forge new partnerships and translate shared priorities into concrete actions and investments.

Against the backdrop of persistent financing gaps and the urgent need to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Global Action Forum will focus on moving from commitment to action and from ambition to measurable impact. Discussions will explore how governments, businesses, development finance institutions, investors, philanthropies and civil society can work together to unlock new sources of capital, de-risk investments, strengthen social impact ecosystems and scale solutions that deliver inclusive, sustainable and measurable outcomes for Africa.

Speaking ahead of the Forum, Dr Mariarosa Cutillo, Chief of Strategic Partnerships, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), underscored the importance of strategic partnerships and innovative financing in advancing sustainable development across Africa.

“Achieving sustainable development requires more than resources; it requires the right partnerships to mobilise, align and deploy those resources where they can deliver the greatest impact. Strategic collaboration across governments, development institutions, the private sector, philanthropy and civil society is essential to advancing inclusive development and ensuring that investments translate into meaningful outcomes for people and communities. The Global Action Forum provides an important platform to strengthen these partnerships, catalyse collective action and advance innovative approaches to financing Africa’s development priorities.”

Emil Ekiyor, CEO & Founder, InnoPower Global, and Forum participant, said the event is an important opportunity to connect Africa’s development ambitions with the capital, innovation and partnerships required to turn solutions into scalable impact.

“Africa has no shortage of ideas, entrepreneurs and locally developed solutions capable of addressing some of the continent’s most pressing challenges. What we need is stronger alignment between capital, policy and innovation to move these solutions from potential to scale. The Global Action Forum provides an important platform to connect African innovators and solution-builders with the investors, institutions and strategic partners needed to unlock sustainable growth and create meaningful impact.”

Sagamore CEO Jay Hein, also speaking at the Forum, agrees. “Investing in locally owned solutions requires strategic connections and effective partnerships. This is the perfect time to pair thriving entrepreneurial ecosystems with sustained capital to achieve sustainable, enterprise-driven growth for communities across Africa.”

Highlighting the significance of the Forum, Olapeju Ibekwe, Chief Executive Officer of Sterling One Foundation, said the Global Action Forum provides an opportunity to extend the conversations from ASIS to the global stage and elevate Africa’s development priorities in discussions on financing and sustainable development.

“The Africa Social Impact Summit has always been about moving beyond dialogue to catalysing action. Our presence at the United Nations General Assembly offers an opportunity to bring Africa’s priorities, innovations and solutions into the global conversation and connect them with the capital and partnerships needed to scale impact. We must move beyond discussing Africa’s financing gap to building the partnerships, financial instruments and investment pathways to help close it. Africa must be positioned not simply as a recipient of capital, but as an active partner in shaping and driving solutions for sustainable development.”

The Global Action Forum will explore how Africa can unlock domestic and international capital, leverage public, private and philanthropic funding to scale high-impact solutions, and strengthen strategic partnerships that turn innovative ideas into sustainable action.

The Forum will further reinforce the Africa Social Impact Summit’s commitment to building an ecosystem that connects capital, ideas, partnerships and action to accelerate inclusive growth and sustainable development across Africa.

The Global Action Forum will take place in September 2026 in New York, United States of America, as part of the engagements surrounding the 81st United Nations General Assembly.