The Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa was established by the Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS) at Addis Ababa University (AAU) and prominent African figures, such as the late Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Meles Zenawi. It was created as a response to the Tripoli Declaration of August 2009, which recognised peace and security as a shared “intellectual challenge” and called for “African-led solutions” to security challenges. The Forum aims to facilitate frank discussions among concerned decision-makers, peace and security stakeholders, and their wider communities about the African continent’s security issues and challenges.
The 12th Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa will be held from 23 to 25 October 2026. It is themed “Pathways to Peace in Africa: Economic Sovereignty and Geopolitical Transformation”.
One of the key activities at the Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa is the Annual Book Launch, where published authors, both African and non-African, have the opportunity to present their books on peace, security, governance or development.
The first edition of the Annual Book Launch took place on 21 April 2017 on the eve of the 6th Tana Forum. Dr Greg Mills, Director of the Brenthurst Foundation based in Johannesburg, and H.E. Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria, launched their book titled “Making Africa Work: A Handbook for Economic Success”. The Forum has provided the same platform in subsequent editions of the Tana Forum for authors to present their books to the Forum‘s participants – a diverse gathering of African heads of state, decision makers at the AU, UN and other international organisations, academia and members of civil society. By the 10th Tana Forum, the book The Failure and Feasibility of Capitalism in Africa by Kenneth Omeje, was selected, while Managing violent religious extremism in fragile states: Nigeria and Kenya’s perspectives, by Prof. Abosede Omowumi Babatunde, was selected for the 11th Tana Forum.
The 12th Tana Forum is scheduled for 23-25 October 2026 in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, and authors are invited to propose their book for launch at the Tana Forum.
Requirements
The book must:
- Be published within the last 12 months, counting from the date of publication of this call.
- Promote peace and security in Africa.
- Promote Pan-Africanism.
- Promote African-led solutions and discourse.
Submission guideline:
Interested authors must:
- Submit their proposal to [email protected] before 30 June 2026.
- Ensure that the Email subject or heading reads as [Book Launch Proposal _ Last Name]
- The proposal shall include an academic CV, the author’s biography, and a book profile document containing the following:
- Book Title
- A 1000-word Summary (summarising the central argument of the book and its chapters)
- Publisher:
- Publication Date (and Edition, if applicable)
- Language
- 200-word abstract highlighting the significance of the Book to the Forum
Submitted work will be reviewed by the Book Launch Committee. After screening the abstracts, shortlisted authors will be asked to submit the full text of the book in soft copy for review.
Only one book will be selected for the launch.
Submissions that do not follow this guideline will be automatically disqualified