The summit held virtually, took place on On December 9 – 10, 2021, as the Biden administration brought together leaders from government, civil society, and the private sector to discuss issues of common interest.
The State Department on its website noted that the summit was part of, “shared effort to set forth an affirmative agenda for democratic renewal and to tackle the greatest threats faced by democracies today through collective action.”
No North African country was invited with West and southern Africa accounting for twelve nations while the remaining four was shared three to one between East and Central Africa.
Most countries were represented by their democratically elected presidents.
The 17 African nations invited to the summit were:
1. Angola
2. Botswana
3. Cape Verde
4. (The) Democratic Republic of Congo
5. Ghana
6. Kenya
7. Liberia
8. Malawi
9. Mauritius
10. Namibia
11. Niger
12. Nigeria
13. Sao Tome and Principe
14. Senegal
15. Seychelles
16. South Africa
17. Zambia
Today, I’m hosting the first Summit for Democracy. We’re bringing together leaders from over 100 governments, alongside activists, trade unionists, experts, and other members of civil society to lock arms and reaffirm our shared commitment to make our democracies better. pic.twitter.com/bQ2jyaHmmM
— President Biden (@POTUS) December 9, 2021