AfCFTA’s Wamkele Mene to Headline PMI Global Summit in Cape Town
H.E. Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat, headlined the PMI Global Summit Series Cape Town held September 14–15, 2026, at the Cape Town International Convention Centre in South Africa. According to event organizers, Mene’s participation highlighted the summit’s focus on advancing project management as a catalyst for economic development across Africa.
Hosted by the Project Management Institute (PMI) Sub-Saharan Africa, the event was described by multiple media outlets as Africa’s biggest project management summit in 2026. According to Capital FM Africa and Baraka FM, the summit convened leaders from government, development banks, technology, energy, and infrastructure sectors, assembling project professionals, policymakers, and private-sector executives committed to advancing large-scale project delivery across the continent.
The PMI Global Summit Series Cape Town took place from September 14 to 15, 2026, at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), located at 2 Walter Sisulu Avenue, Cape Town, South Africa.
The summit was organized under the theme “Africa Delivers M.O.R.E. Together,” which, according to Capital FM Africa and Industry Newspapers, aimed to foster stronger collaboration and focus on delivery-driven project execution with measurable impact. The Industry Newspapers noted that this theme aligns with the African Continental Free Trade Area’s (AfCFTA) emphasis on implementation and results, reflecting a shift from policy discussions toward practical delivery.
H.E. Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, served as the headline speaker. His participation was widely covered by media outlets including Capital FM Africa, Coast Media Group, Brand Impact, and the Industry Newspapers. These sources emphasized Mene’s role in highlighting the intersection of project management and Africa’s trade integration agenda. Brand Impact reported that Mene’s appearance placed Africa’s trade integration efforts at the center of the summit, underscoring how efficient project delivery can support the African Union’s flagship initiative to create a single continental market for goods and services. The Industry Newspapers further linked his presence to discussions on lowering trade barriers and boosting intra-African trade through infrastructure and development projects, reinforcing the summit’s delivery focus.
The two-day summit featured a diverse group of participants, described by event listings and media reports as leaders, innovators, and changemakers from multiple sectors. Capital FM Africa detailed the presence of stakeholders from government, development finance institutions, technology firms, energy companies, and infrastructure providers. This cross-sector representation positioned the event as a continental platform for public-private collaboration on economic development and project execution.
According to event schedules published by the CTICC, the summit ran from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time each day. The venue itself, a major conference center in Cape Town, has hosted previous PMI Global Summit Series events, with the 2026 gathering marking a further expansion of PMI’s footprint in Africa. Records show that earlier editions took place in Abuja in 2021 and Kigali in 2024, indicating a growing emphasis on project management as a driver of development across the continent.
Media coverage from Baraka FM and the Coast Media Group highlighted the strategic significance of the Cape Town summit within Africa’s broader development landscape. The event was positioned as a key opportunity to align project management practices with continental priorities, including the AfCFTA’s trade integration goals. According to Brand Impact and the Industry Newspapers, discussions focused on the practical aspects of implementing infrastructure and development projects that support economic transformation, rather than solely on policy frameworks.
Official reports and media articles indicate that the summit’s theme and agenda sought to unlock potential by encouraging measurable outcomes in project delivery. The emphasis on “Africa Delivers M.O.R.E. Together” was intended to promote accountability and collaboration among stakeholders engaged in large-scale projects. This approach reflects a growing recognition of project management as a critical tool for translating Africa’s development ambitions into tangible results.
In summary, the PMI Global Summit Series Cape Town served as a significant gathering for project professionals and leaders across Africa, with H.E. Wamkele Mene’s headline role reinforcing the link between project management and the continent’s trade integration agenda. The event’s two-day schedule and diverse participation underscored its status as a flagship regional forum for advancing economic development through effective project delivery.
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