Dakar – – October 02, 2026 -- The fifth Africa Business and Human Rights Forum closed in Dakar, Senegal, with more than 1,100 delegates from 45 African countries pressing governments and companies to convert human rights commitments into enforceable business practice, as the continent loses an estimated $195 billion annually to environmental degradation, illicit financial flows and unsustainable resource use.
Forum draws 1,100 delegates from 45 nations to confront a $195 billion annual loss
Held September 29 to October 1 under the theme "Realizing the Right to a Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment through Responsible Business Conduct," the three-day event was co-organized by the UN Global Compact, UNDP, the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights, OHCHR, UNICEF and the African Commission on Human and People's Rights. Business representatives made up 21% of attendees, drawn predominantly from Senegal, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, DR Congo, Nigeria, Tanzania and Ghana.
Six countries advance National Action Plans on business conduct
Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Liberia and Ghana have adopted National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights, with Malawi's plan pending. Senegal's Minister of Justice, Moussa Sarr, told delegates the country's own National Action Plan is under final review, stating that corporate conduct "cannot remain theoretical" without accessible remedy and judicial protections.
Africa holds 30% of global critical mineral reserves, raising just-transition stakes
Discussions centered on human rights and environmental due diligence across supply chains, water and sanitation access for vulnerable communities, and a just transition for Africa's mineral wealth. With the continent controlling roughly 30% of the world's known critical mineral reserves, delegates warned that the global shift to green energy and technology must deliver proportionate, equitable benefits to African governments and communities rather than exploitative outcomes.
UN Global Compact says hundreds of companies now implement due diligence programs
Hervé Lado, Head of the Africa Hub at the UN Global Compact, said harms to people and nature are intertwined and that corporate respect for human rights must accompany environmental protection as intra-Africa trade and energy transition advance. He noted the Global Compact equips hundreds of companies across the continent annually to move from stated commitments to operational human rights due diligence.
Forum outcomes demand enforcement tied to access to remedy
The Forum's final outcomes called for enforcement mechanisms to accompany National Action Plans and corporate pledges, arguing that regulatory frameworks without accountability fail affected communities. Delegates concluded that systemic challenges in resource extraction and environmental harm require cross-sector partnerships, with meaningful engagement of rightsholders and vulnerable populations positioned as a precondition for any just transition.