7th Africa Associations Summit (AAS7)
Future-Fit Governance and Operations for African Assocaitions
DATES
1-2 Oct 2026
VENUE
Tembo ICC
LOCATION
Mombasa, Kenya
AAS7 Theme Announced: “INTELLIGENT BY DESIGN”
Future-Fit Governance and Operations for African Associations
Most associations run on volunteer time and thin secretariats — AI is the first realistic lever to help us punch above our weight. AAS7 will look inward at our own operating model: data-driven decisions, lean and anticipatory operations, evidence-based governance, and boards that plan for the next decade rather than react to the last AGM. “By design” signals deliberate redesign, not accidental adoption. It is also a continental conversation: as AfSAE’s membership grows across more countries and sectors, the associations that thrive will be the ones that treat digital transformation as a governance responsibility, not just an IT upgrade.
The theme rests on three connected pillars — governance, strategy, and operations — each explored in its own dedicated session, moving from board-level decisions down to the day-to-day running of the secretariat.
AAS7 Sessions
AAS7 will be delivered as a focused masterclass on association development, in three two-hour sessions
Session 1
Building the future-fit board, the ethics and policy guardrails (what most boards get wrong from Day 1)
Session 2
From reactive to anticipatory — AI in associations strategy and governance
Session 3
Lean secretariats — automating association operations without losing the human touch
Who should attend
AAS7 is designed for association board members and trustees, CEOs and executive directors, secretariat and operations leads, and anyone responsible for steering their association’s governance or digital strategy over the next decade. Each session stands on its own, so members are welcome to attend the full masterclass or the sessions most relevant to their role.
When and where
AAS7 will take place on 1–2 October 2026 at the Tembo International Convention Centre, Mombasa, Kenya, co-located with the Africa MICE Summit 2026. Co-location brings a wider community of business events and association professionals together on the same dates and venue — more delegates, more sponsor and partner conversations, and a bigger platform for African association voices. The three sessions run back-to-back across the two days, with time built in for Q&A and peer discussion after each one.
Registration
Registrations open soon. Full details, including fees and how to book your place, will be published on a dedicated page linked below
We look forward to welcoming you to Mombasa. If you have questions in the meantime, reach the organising team at info@afsae.org.