As world leaders gather for the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80) in New York, African-led organisations are preparing to take the spotlight with a high-level side event focused on homegrown solutions for sustainable development.
The event, convened by eHealth Africa (eHA) in partnership with Population Services International (PSI), Population Council, and Reach Digital Health, is scheduled for 24 September at the Population Council in New York, with hybrid participation options available.
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In a statement shared with PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday, the organisers said the dialogue themed “African-led Innovation: Shaping Sustainable Futures With or Without Aid,” will explore how African countries can chart development paths independent of shrinking donor support.
According to eHealth Africa, the dialogue comes against the backdrop of declining donor funding, rising global inequalities, and the urgent need for Africa to lead in designing and implementing digital innovations for sustainability, whether or not foreign aid is available.
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They noted that the side event will amplify Africa’s ingenuity and leadership in charting a new development path.
“In 2025, donor funding has faced unprecedented cuts, with a 17 per cent decline in Official Development Assistance and the near-total withdrawal of the United States from its role as the world’s largest aid contributor,” the statement reads.
They added that the event builds on the momentum of the Insights Learning Forum (ILF) 2025, where stakeholders called for harmonised digital health strategies, locally driven investment, and stronger domestic resource mobilisation.
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Calls for African resilience
Speaking ahead of the event, Atef Fawaz, Executive Director of eHealth Africa, described the dialogue as an urgent call to action.
Mr Fawaz emphasised the need for Africa to continue demonstrating resilience, sovereignty, and creativity across sectors for a sustainable future.
“This is beyond just conversation. It’s an urgent call to action—a challenge to stakeholders across sectors to take bold steps to deepen collaboration, pool resources, and adopt adaptive strategies to sustain impact,” he said.
He added that the group is excited to champion critical action with like-minded organisations.
“This is why we are bringing together industry leaders and think tanks to call for stronger partnerships that put African innovation at the centre of sustainable development,” he said.
Partners weigh in
Michael Holscher, President of PSI, noted that African innovation is transforming health delivery across the continent and beyond.
Mr Holscher said the most powerful solutions are coming from people with lived experience and led by experts who are building systems designed for true health sovereignty.
He said PSI is honored to stand with its partners driving this unstoppable momentum of African ingenuity, advancing progress with or without external aid.
On her part, Debbie Rogers, CEO of Reach Digital Health, highlighted the growing impact of user-centred approaches on the continent.
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Ms Rogers said Africa-led user-centric solutions are delivering measurable gains across the continent, from frontline services to national platforms.
She said to accelerate this progress; there is need for deeper collaboration and sustained investment.
As convener, eHealth Africa and its partners urged stakeholders across civil society organisations, private sector innovators, academia and governments to support and fund African-led initiatives while ensuring that health and development solutions remain nationally owned and community-driven.
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