Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — The African Center for Early Childhood Development and the Addis Ababa City Administration as well as their key strategic partners, will host an International Early Childhood Conference – Addis Ababa 2026 from 11–13 May 2026.
The high-level gathering will bring together African political leaders, global institutions, development partners, philanthropies, researchers, and practitioners to advance Africa’s leadership in early childhood development and accelerate coordinated action for the early years.
Held under the theme “Africa at the Forefront in Transforming Early childhood Systems, From Local Models to Global Momentum”, the Addis 2026 Conference is designed as a continental and global learning platform, where African countries, cities, and partners exchange, compare, and adapt diverse pathways to strong early childhood systems. The event comes at a critical time as countries seek to strengthen human capital systems and address persistent gaps in early childhood investment, governance, and service delivery.
The conference will serve as a continental and global platform to promote evidence-based, scalable ECD models, strengthen political commitment, catalyze financing, and facilitate cross-country learning. It is expected to convene approximately 350 participants from across Africa and beyond, including representatives of national and regional governments, multilateral institutions and philanthropies, civil societies, the academia, and the private sector.
Early childhood development is increasingly recognized as a cornerstone of sustainable development, with long-term impacts on education, health, economic productivity, and social stability. However, despite growing global recognition, significant challenges remain. According to the World Bank, 250 million children under the age of five in low- and middle-income countries across the world are at risk of not reaching their developmental potential because of poverty and stunting (or low height for age).
AfC-ECD African Center for Early Childhood DevelopmentAgainst this backdrop, the Addis International Early Childhood Conference – 2026 aims to drive a shift from fragmented, project-based approaches toward integrated, government-led systems that are embedded in national and city-level planning and financing.
The conference will focus on four key pillars:
• Political Leadership Commitment
• Evidence-based Decision making
• Systems and Workforce Development
• Financing and Investment for Early Childhood
Through high-level dialogues, technical sessions, and experience-sharing platforms, participants will explore practical solutions and adaptable models that can be implemented across diverse African contexts.
Under the leadership of H.E Mayor Adanech Abiebie, the city of Addis Ababa offers a unique value to the global ECD community: a functioning, government-led, multi-sectoral ECD system operating on a city scale and beyond.
The city’s ECD approach includes strengthening maternal and child health services, expanding access to quality pre-primary education, regulating and scaling childcare services, and investing in safe child-friendly public spaces. These efforts are supported through public financing and coordinated governance structures, demonstrating how political commitment can translate into large-scale impact. while Addis Ababa does not present itself as a single model for replication, it offers a practical learning platform for countries and cities seeking to design and implement context-specific ECD systems.
The conference is intentionally timed to build momentum from the 2025 UN General Assembly and to contribute to the global policy and financing trajectory toward the 2027 International Finance Summit for Early Childhood. The conference is expected to generate tangible outcomes, including strengthened political and financial commitments to early childhood development, enhanced collaboration among African and global stakeholders, and the dissemination of evidence-based practices and country experiences.
Dr. Kebede Worku, Chief Executive Officer of AfC-ECD, emphasized the broader vision of the initiative:
“The Addis Ababa 2026 Conference represents a defining moment for Africa to lead on the global early childhood agenda. By aligning evidence, political leadership, financing, and delivery systems, we can transform how countries invest in their youngest citizens and build a stronger foundation for future generations.”
Members of the media are invited to attend and cover the conference. Accreditation details, the full program, and speaker announcements will be shared in advance of the event.
About the African Center for Early Childhood Development (AfC-ECD)
Established by the Addis Ababa City Administration under Regulation 177/2024, the African Center for Early Childhood Development (ACECD), is dedicated to fostering multisectoral, integrated Comprehensive Early childhood development (ECD) policies and programs. The Center focuses on advancing government-led systems to provide equitable access to quality ECD services, using Addis Ababa’s work and global best practices as benchmarks for scaling across Ethiopia and the continent. Currently, the Center is supporting scaling up ECD programs in five regions: Oromia, Amhara, Sidama, Central Ethiopia Regions and Dire Dawa Administration. The approach emphasizes the government’s leadership in creating supportive caregiving environments while promoting multistakeholder collaboration across various sectors essential for success.
For further information, please contact:
Mekonnen Teshome, Communication and Advocacy Coordinator AfC-ECD, Mekonnen.Teshome@afcecd.org , +251911152603.
