Development Reimagined, in collaboration with the Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps and Ambassador of the Republic of Zimbabwe to the United Kingdom, His Excellency Colonel Christian Katsande, successfully convened the inaugural African Ambassadors and High Commissioners Retreat in the United Kingdom from 27th–28th July 2025.
This landmark event brought together, for the first time ever, representatives from across the African diplomatic corps to foster a unified approach to engaging with the UK’s Labour government and its proposed “New Approach” to Africa.
Spanning a day and a half, the retreat welcomed 40 participants, including 15 Ambassadors and High Commissioners and representatives from 24 African embassies and high commissions.
The retreat was convened just after the publication by the UK Government of the results of their consultation to date on their “New Approach to Africa”. The New Approach is a policy framework that will soon be published and will shape the UK’s future engagement with African nations.
The retreat was marked by strong engagement from the diplomatic corps and robust, solution-oriented dialogue throughout. It was expertly moderated by Their Excellencies from Mauritius, Zambia, Senegal and Morocco, whose distinguished leadership helped shape the dialogue and drive sessions toward shared strategic priorities.
Keynote presentations were delivered by a distinguished lineup of African and international experts, including:
- Mr. Trevor Manuel – Former Minister of Finance, Republic of South Africa
- Professor Carlos Lopes – Professor at the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance; Former Executive Secretary, UNECA
- Ms. Hassatou Diop N’Sele – Vice President for Finance and Chief Financial Officer, African Development Bank (AfDB)
- Mr. Babajide Sodipo – Senior Manager, AfCFTA Relations and Trade Policy, Afreximbank
- Ms. Mavis Owusu-Gyamfi – Executive Vice President, African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET)
- Mr. Stephen Karingi – Director, Regional Integration and Trade Division, UNECA
- Professor David Luke – Professor in Practice and Strategic Director, Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa, London School of Economics
- Ms. Tighisti Amare – Deputy Director, Africa Programme, Chatham House
- Ms. Dagmawit Moges Bekele – Commissioner, Political Affairs, Peace and Security, African Union Commission (formerly Minister of Transport, Ethiopia)
- Mr. Saliem Fakir – Executive Director, African Climate Foundation
- Mr. Gyude Moore – Senior Policy Fellow, Center for Global Development; Former Minister of Public Works, Republic of Liberia
Speakers shared strategic insights across key themes including financing and investment, trade, security, and climate, while also providing valuable guidance on how the African diplomatic corps might engage with the UK’s New Approach.
The retreat concluded with closing remarks from H.E. Colonel (Rtd) Christian M. Katsande, who reflected on the gathering as a successful first edition. He acknowledged the depth of the discussions and outlined the way forward for the African diplomatic corps in the United Kingdom.
Development Reimagined is committed to building on the momentum of this inaugural retreat. We will continue working closely with Ambassadors, High Commissioners and the wider diplomatic corps to deepen engagement on the issues identified, particularly in the lead-up to Africa Climate Week and as the UK’s policy approach to Africa continues to evolve. Together, we aim to shape a more coordinated, ambitious and impactful Africa-UK partnership. This retreat marks a turning point – reimagining Africa’s engagement with the UK not as a passive recipient, but as a co-architect of shared prosperity.
Date published: August 5,2025.
