Fifth Africa Business and Human Rights Forum Highlights Responsible Business Conduct
NEW YORK – Oct. 2, 2026 – The fifth Africa Business and Human Rights Forum concluded today in Dakar, Senegal, uniting stakeholders from governments, businesses, civil society, and the United Nations to enhance responsible business practices across Africa.
Held from September 29 to October 1, the Forum was themed “Realizing the Right to a Clean, Healthy, and Sustainable Environment through Responsible Business Conduct.” The event emphasized the vital relationship between business, human rights, and environmental sustainability, addressing the urgent need for action to protect both people and the planet while fostering sustainable economic growth.
Co-organized by the United Nations Global Compact, UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights, and others, the Forum emphasized Africa’s potential losses of $195 billion annually due to environmental degradation and unsustainable practices.
Key Focus Areas:
The discussions centered around enhancing business respect for human rights and environmental sustainability, specifically:
- Human Rights Due Diligence: Strengthening processes for companies to identify and mitigate adverse impacts.
- Access to Water and Land Rights: Focusing on the vulnerable populations affected by business activities.
- Just Transition: Exploring resource utilization while ensuring inclusivity in the transition to greener economies.
- Access to Remedy: Strengthening mechanisms for affected communities to seek redress.
Key Outcomes:
Participants identified several priorities for continued action, including:
- Enforcement and Accountability: Ensuring that commitments translate to real outcomes.
- Beyond Compliance: Emphasizing human dignity in decision-making processes.
- Collaborative Solutions: Recognizing that systemic issues require collective action.
- Equitable Benefits: Ensuring fair access to benefits from Africa’s resources.
- Effective Policies: Linking policies with accountability measures.
Statements from Leaders:
HE Moussa Sarr, Senegal’s Minister of Justice, highlighted the importance of actionable human rights frameworks, stating, “A right without a judge remains a promise.”
Hervé Lado, Head of the Africa Hub at the UN Global Compact, affirmed the interconnectedness of human rights and environmental protection, emphasizing the need for responsible business conduct in driving sustainable outcomes.
The Forum was a hybrid event, attracting over 1,100 delegates from 45 African countries, promoting both in-person and virtual participation, and featuring a diverse mix of business representatives and stakeholders.
About the UN Global Compact:
The UN Global Compact is a call to companies worldwide to align their strategies with principles related to human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption. With over 25,000 participants across 100 countries, it is the largest corporate sustainability initiative globally.
For more information, visit the UN Global Compact website.
This summary captures the key elements of the Forum and its implications for responsible business practices across Africa, illustrating the ongoing commitment to human rights and sustainability.
