Cape Town [South Africa], November 25 (ANI): The Observer Research Foundation (ORF), in partnership with the Thabo Mbeki Foundation, is hosting the third edition of the Cape Town Conversation from November 24 to 26, 2025. The event aims to deepen dialogue on global challenges at a time of significant shifts in the international system.
This year’s gathering will bring together about 300 participants from nearly 55 countries, including policymakers, scholars, business leaders and practitioners. Discussions will be held under the overarching themes of solidarity, equality and sustainability, and will support South Africa’s G20 Presidency.
Prominent speakers include former South African President Thabo Mbeki; Thoko Didiza, Speaker of the National Assembly; India’s former Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma; Latha Reddy, Co-Chair of the Global Commission on Stability in Cyberspace; Kenyan Blue Economy Advisor Nancy Karigithu; and Kayode Fayemi, Visiting Professor at King’s College London.
Their contributions will shape conversations on the future of globalisation, the energy transition, the evolving technology order, multilateral reforms and progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Alongside the main sessions, a dedicated workshop will explore the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Public Infrastructure. Building on consultations held at the UN General Assembly in New York and the Global DPI Summit in Cape Town, the workshop will examine how countries can transition from pilot projects to population-scale systems. Insights will support preparations for the AI Impact Summit in India in February 2026.
The conference will also feature a Breakfast Roundtable on “Resilient Futures: Advancing Sustainable Livelihoods in India and Africa,” focusing on shared challenges and community-driven pathways to sustainable development. Additional studio sessions will offer participants opportunities for deeper engagement across the event’s themes.
ORF, one of India’s leading think tanks, maintains global outreach through its offices in Washington, D.C., and Dubai, and provides non-partisan, research-driven insights to policymakers, businesses and civil society.
The Thabo Mbeki Foundation, established in 2010, furthers the legacy of former President Mbeki by promoting African development, regional integration and global dialogue. The foundation works to preserve African history and advance cooperation on issues critical to the continent’s future. (ANI)
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