Conference Overview
African Bioethics in Practice: Governance and Responsibility
The ABN Annual Conference serves a specific function within the bioethics ecosystem: it is designed as a platform for applied ethical dialogue, interdisciplinary exchange, and collective reflection across research, health systems, policy, technology, and community practice.
Convened by the Africa Bioethics Network, the conference creates space for dialogue across African and global perspectives, knowledge traditions, and areas of practice.
Purpose
The conference aims to:
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Establish a sustained, African-led platform for applied bioethics dialogue
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Bridge multiple sites of ethical practice — connecting research ethics, clinical ethics, public health ethics, environmental ethics, and community-based ethical reasoning
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Connect bioethics scholarship, governance practice (including RECs), policy engagement, and community perspectives
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Create intentional space for emerging bioethicists alongside senior scholars and practitioners
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Bring African ethical perspectives into dialogue with global bioethics through comparison, exchange, and reciprocal learning.
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Foster ethical dialogue, reflection, and exchange across disciplines, institutions, and roles
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Generate practical, implementable approaches that can inform policy, governance, and practice
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Provide a platform for refining and strengthening ongoing intellectual and practice-based work.
The 2026 Foundational Edition
The 2026 conference is intentionally framed as the Foundational Edition - designed to establish the culture, scope, and intellectual orientation that will guide future annual convenings.
Why "Foundational"?
Conference Positioning
The conference brings African ethical perspectives into conversation with diverse ethical traditions through dialogue, comparison, and reciprocal learning. Applied ethics across sectors. Dialogue across disciplines. Convened through African institutional and intellectual leadership.