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October 28, 2026

NCD Relay Africa 2026: Register for the Regional Convening in Addis Ababa

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NEWS · OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

NCD Relay Africa
Regional Convening 2026

21–22 November 2026
Africa CDC Headquarters, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

The NCD Relay in Africa convening is a two-day continental gathering of civil society, people living with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), young leaders, and partners. This convening will take place on November 21–22, 2026, at the Africa CDC Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as a pre-conference to the Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA 2026).

The convening is organized by the Africa NCDs Network (ANN) and NCD Alliance East Africa (EANCDA), in collaboration with the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the Ethiopian NCD Alliance Consortium, and the Ethiopian Ministry of Health, as part of the Global NCD Relay, convened by the NCD Alliance, with the support of its strategic partners.

The convening is held under the theme "From Commitments to African-Led Action: Advancing NCD Health Security, Sovereignty and Resilience."

The 2025 UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs gave us bold global commitments. With growing leadership from the African Union, the Africa CDC, and countries across the continent, Africa is well- positioned to lead the next phase of NCD action. The challenge now is to translate these commitments into priorities that reflect Africa’s realities and into action that improves the lives of people and communities across the continent

This is the first regional convening of the NCD Relay, a series of regional convenings running from 2026 to 2028 and building towards the 5th Global NCD Alliance Forum in 2028. What emerges from Addis Ababa will help shape how Africa’s voice is heard in global NCD advocacy, generate lessons and momentum for the regions that follow, and carry the Relay forward to the next region.

A key outcome will be the Addis NCD Relay Declaration, setting out the shared African advocacy priorities and collective commitments emerging from the convening.

These priorities will help guide global civil society engagement and contribute to the wider NCD Relay journey towards 2028.

The convening’s objectives

  • Translate the 2025 UN High-Level Meeting commitments and continental commitments into regional advocacy and action priorities.
  • Strengthen coordination and collaboration among civil society organisations and NCD alliances across Africa.
  • Build the advocacy capacity of national and sub-regional alliances
  • Position NCDs within global health reform processes

The convening will explore key thematic areas, including multisectoral engagement, innovative domestic financing, primary health care (PHC), universal health coverage (UHC), and NCD surveillance and accountability, including the SPARK NCD programme and STEPwise surveys.

The convening brings together national NCD alliances, civil society organizations, youth delegates, and people living with NCDs, alongside representatives of Africa CDC, the African Union, WHO AFRO, Ethiopian MoH, UNICEF, and other partners. Young people and people living with NCDs will help shape the program as speakers, panelists, and contributors to the Declaration.

To register or follow the convening, visit https://ncdsafrica.org/registration/ or write to ncdsafrica@gmail.com. Follow the conversation on social media with #NCDRelayAfrica.

Help us spread the word. Discuss participation with your team and national alliance, and share this announcement with colleagues, partners, and advocates who should be part of the conversation.

The NCD Relay in Africa is supported by the NCD Relay’s global strategic partners: the Global Alliance for Patient Access (GAfPA), the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). The World Diabetes Foundation supports the event as an Africa Convening Strategic Partner.

Additional support comes from NCD Relay Sponsors NCDI Poverty Network and Paolo Chiesi Foundation, and Travel Partner, Ethiopian Airlines.

For those interested sponsorship of the NCD Relay Africa convening, kindly contact the ANN via ncdsafrica@gmail.com.

We continue to invite sponsorship of the NCD Relay Series. Should you be interested in sponsoring one or more NCD Relay convenings, please contact the NCD Alliance at jbramble@ncdalliance.org

We hope to see you there.

Together, We Relay the Future.

Be part of the conversation.

Explore the event programme and practical information, or complete your registration. Registered delegates can access the Ethiopian Airlines flight offer and create a personalized “I’m attending” social card.

Register to attend ↗Event programme and details ↗
THE CONVENING COMMUNITY

Organizers, collaborators
and partners.

Organizers

Collaborators

Global Convenor

Strategic Partners

Global NCD Relay strategic partners

Africa Convening strategic partner

Relay Sponsors

Travel Partner

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