The image shows negotiating stakeholders who are grouped around the African continent — ©sef: (generated with the help of AI)

Transforming Partnerships?
Africa and the future of international cooperation

23-24 November 2026
Brandenburg Museum for the Future, Present and Past
Potsdam, Germany

Conference languages: English/German

Background

‘Partnership’ is one of the most frequently used terms in German policy towards Africa and is becoming even more indispensable in times of global upheaval. With the new South-North Commission on Development (ENSK) and the reform process of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) partnership is also taking centre stage in the debate on how Germany intends to help shape international cooperation in a changing world. The Potsdam Africa Dialogues 2026 discuss these timely topics: What does partnership mean in a changing world order? How are the German political reforms understood by partners? And what do German actors in politics and the economic sector need to change so that cooperation with African partners is based on shared interests, reliability and mutual benefit?

Over the past fifteen years, the Potsdam Africa Dialogues have become a trusted forum for exchange on regional cooperation and sustainable development. The conference brings together stakeholders from politics, business, academia, and civil society to discuss pressing challenges and innovative solutions. Everyone interested is warmly invited to attend the event.

Panel guests (amongst many others):

This image shows Olaf Scholz — Olaf Scholz, MP is the former Chancellor and Co-Chair of the South-North Commission on Development (ENSK)
(©photothek.net/Thomas Köhler & Thomas Imo)

The picture shows Chenayi Mutambasere — Chenayi Mutambasere is the Executive Director of the Africa Centre for Economic Justice and a development economics expert.
(©Chenayi Mutambasere)

This picture shows Matthias Rompel — Prof. Dr. Matthias Rompel is Director of the Division East Africa and Horn of Africa at the Headquarters of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) (©Matthias Rompel)

This picture shows Wiebke Polomka — Wiebke Polomka is Senior Manager for Southern Africa at the German-African Business Association (©Wiebke Polomka)

Conference Themes

23 November 2026	Keynote North–South. South–North? Which way forward for international cooperation? Olaf Scholz, MP Former Chancellor and Co-Chair of the South-North Commission on Development (ENSK)
	Panel South-South perspectives on development policy in transition Dr Anika Altaf Executive Director, INCLUDE Knowledge Platform for Inclusive Development Policies Chenayi Mutambasere Executive Director, Africa Centre for Economic Justice Dr Henrik Maihack Head of Secretariat, South-North Commission on Development (ENSK)
	Lightning Talks Partnerships in transformation: Envisioning a future-oriented development cooperation
	Panel New partnerships, revised terms and conditions? What does partnership mean when resources are increasingly constrained? Prof Dr Matthias Rompel Director East Africa and Horn of Africa, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) Dr Nadine Piefer-Söyler Team leader Development Co-operation Directorate, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
24 November 2026	Keynote Political perspectives on partnerships under changing circumstances
	Panel More than trade? What turns companies into partners. Wiebke Polomka Senior Manager Southern Africa, German-African Business Association Ndiarka Mbodji Founder & CEO Kowry Energy Services UG

Cooperating partners

The picture shows the logos of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy, Climate Protection and Europe, State of Brandenburg

The Potsdam Africa Dialogues are funded by the Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy, Climate Protection and Europe of the State of Brandenburg, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)and supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.

Transforming Partnerships?Africa and the future of international cooperation

23 November 2026

KeynoteNorth–South. South–North? Which way forward for international cooperation?

PanelSouth-South perspectives on development policy in transition

Lightning TalksPartnerships in transformation: Envisioning a future-oriented development cooperation

PanelNew partnerships, revised terms and conditions? What does partnership mean when resources are increasingly constrained?

24 November 2026

KeynotePolitical perspectives on partnerships under changing circumstances

PanelMore than trade? What turns companies into partners.

Cooperating partners

Transforming Partnerships?
Africa and the future of international cooperation

Keynote
North–South. South–North? Which way forward for international cooperation?

Panel
South-South perspectives on development policy in transition

Lightning Talks
Partnerships in transformation: Envisioning a future-oriented development cooperation

Panel
New partnerships, revised terms and conditions? What does partnership mean when resources are increasingly constrained?

Keynote
Political perspectives on partnerships under changing circumstances

Panel
More than trade? What turns companies into partners.