NEW YORK, USA — The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Peter Obi, is set to deliver the keynote address at the 2026 African Diaspora Conference and Awards Ceremony on Friday, July 10, at Mandela Hall, the African Union Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations in New York.
The high-level conference is being organised by the African Union Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations in collaboration with the Permanent Mission of Liberia to the United Nations, the African Trade Centre, Team 54 Project International, and the Global Initiative for the Education and Literacy of African Girls (GIFTED). The event forms part of the side events of the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.
With the theme, “Diaspora Engagement in Sustainable Development in Africa,” the conference will bring together policymakers, diplomats, business leaders, development experts and members of the African diaspora to examine practical strategies for leveraging Africa’s global human and economic resources to accelerate sustainable development across the continent.
Peter Obi will deliver the High-Level Keynote Address titled “The Role of the African Diaspora in Sustainable Development Across Africa.” His presentation is expected to underscore the critical contributions of Africans in the diaspora in driving investment, innovation, entrepreneurship, education, technology transfer and economic transformation throughout Africa.
Widely recognised for his advocacy of prudent economic management, transparent governance and investment in human capital, Obi has consistently maintained that Africa’s greatest resource is its people. He has repeatedly argued that sustainable development can only be achieved through prioritising education, accessible healthcare, productive investments and policies that create an enabling environment for diaspora communities to contribute meaningfully to national and continental development.
Beyond the keynote address, the event will feature an African Diaspora Awards Ceremony honouring distinguished individuals and organisations whose contributions have significantly advanced development initiatives across Africa and strengthened ties between the continent and its global diaspora.
The conference is expected to attract diplomats, government officials, development partners, academics, entrepreneurs and diaspora leaders from around the world, further reinforcing the growing importance of diaspora engagement and international collaboration in advancing Africa’s sustainable development agenda.
