NextBillion - A WDI Publication

Hosted by the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) in partnership with the Government of Kenya, the Africa We Build Summit 2026 will bring together public and private sector leaders in Nairobi on 23–24 April 2026 to focus on how to move infrastructure from priority to implementation across Africa.

The Summit will convene heads of state, ministers, institutional investors, development finance institutions, infrastructure operators and global industry leaders for two days of high-level discussion on financing, execution and enabling policy frameworks.

Addis Chamber Trade Fairs
Addis Chamber International Trade Fair (ACITF) is the Country’s pioneer International Business-to-Business trade fair whose main focus is on Industrial, Agricultural and Services Sectors.

Addis Chamber International Trade Fair /ACITF/ is scheduled to take place from April 23-25, 2026, at the Addis Ababa Exhibition Center in Mesqal Square. Organized by the Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations (AACCSA), this flagship event will operate under the theme “Sustainable Business, Competitive Ethiopia,” aiming to bridge the gap between local manufacturers and the global market. The fair is expected to host over 200 participants, including 100+ international exhibitors, and will feature high-level side events such as a Business-to-Business (B2B) Forum on April 25 and a specialized conference focused on “Access to Finance for Manufacturers.” As Ethiopia’s premier multi-sectoral trade platform, it serves as a critical hub for technology transfer, investment exploration, and the promotion of the country’s diverse industrial and agricultural potential.

​About the session:

​​For millions of people in rural communities, the greatest barrier to opportunity is not always the absence of services, but the difficulty of reaching them safely, reliably, and affordably. This is the reality of mobility poverty: when distance, terrain, cost, and seasonal isolation cut people off from health care, education, markets, and livelihoods.

​​In this session, World Bicycle Relief and Fika will explore how practical rural mobility solutions, bicycles, and small-scale access infrastructure, such as trail bridges, can help close the first- and last-mile gap. Drawing on evidence, implementation experience, and lessons from the different geographies, the conversation will examine what it takes to move from promising mobility interventions to scalable systems through better financing, stronger planning, government uptake, and cross-sector partnerships.

​​The discussion will be enriched by speakers from CAMFED, Spring Impact, IDinsight, One Acre Fund, and Living Goods who bring perspectives from girls’ education and leadership, evidence, scaling and replication, smallholder agriculture and rural livelihoods, community health delivery, and broader policy and systems change. Together, these voices reflect the wider ecosystem required to turn safe access from a transport issue into a shared development priority.

​​Session objectives:

​​Make mobility poverty visible by illustrating the barriers posed by distance, terrain, cost, and risk, and why safe access matters for health, education, and livelihoods

​​Share evidence on what works, including RCT findings and cost effectiveness for bicycles and trail bridges

​​Identify practical pathways to scale, including government adoption, market channels, financing, and partner integration

​​What to expect:

​​The session will combine storytelling, evidence, and discussion, including a short video montage, opening reflections, plain-language data, and a conversation focused on how to move from evidence to action. Participants will also have the opportunity to engage with practical examples of rural mobility challenges and solutions.

​​Hosts:

​​World Bicycle Relief

​​Fika (formerly Bridges to Prosperity)

​​Guest perspectives may include:

​​Spring Impact

​​One Acre Fund

​​Living Goods

​​CAMFED

​IDinsight

​​Who this is for:

​​This session is for funders, NGOs and implementers, government actors, policymakers, and practitioners working across transport, health, education, agriculture, climate resilience, and rural livelihoods. No technical background is required. Key ideas such as mobility poverty, safe access, and first- and last-mile connectivity will be explained in plain language.

​​What you will get out of it:

​​A clearer understanding of mobility poverty and how it affects rural communities

​​Evidence on the impact and cost-effectiveness of practical rural mobility solutions

​​Insight into how these solutions – bicycles and bridges – can scale through systems, partnerships, and financing.

​​A chance to connect with organizations working to expand safe access and rural mobility

Time: 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM GMT+1

​Hosts: Ethical AI Certification

​This session introduces the Ethical AI (EAI) Certification—a new, sector-specific standard for responsible AI in the social sector including in development and humanitarian work.

​Backed by leading NGOs, UN agencies, donors, and ethics experts, the certification provides a clear, staged pathway for organizations to adopt AI responsibly and demonstrate trust, transparency, and accountability.

​AI is rapidly entering development and humanitarian programmes, but organizations lack a shared, practical framework for what “ethical AI” actually requires in practice. Existing standards are either too abstract, too technical, or not designed for humanitarian risk, power asymmetries, and safeguarding. The EAI Certification fills this gap by translating ethical principles into testable, real-world practice.

​The certification is currently in its stakeholder review phase, and this session is designed as an interactive workshop.

​Participants will work through real-world dilemmas, review draft standards, and help shape how the certification evolves—particularly its use-case “annexes” for different AI applications.

​Speakers:

​Lindsey Moore – Founder & CEO, DevelopMetrics; adjunct professor on AI and Policy at Georgetown University; researcher at UNU-MERIT focusing on AI governance and evidence use, former USAID foreign service economist.

​Grace Lyn Higdon – Co-Founder of Revolution Impact where she is a strategy and learning advisor to philanthropies and investors navigating the complex terrain between good intentions and meaningful impact. For over 15 years her work has also focused on responsible technology and digital rights, governance, and policy. In 2025, Grace co-authored research on the AI adoption journeys of 25 funders and published the social impact sector’s first AI vendor assessment tool. Grace currently advises a sponsor of the 2027 AI Impact Summit, is a member of Women in AI Governance, and serves on the Board of the Ethical AI Certification.

​Mara Puacz is a global tech-for-impact leader and ecosystem enabler working at the intersection of AI, ethics, and human reinvention — and one of the defining voices shaping how AI is designed, governed, and used for good. As Head of Brand & Impact at Tech To The Rescue, she builds bridges between tech companies and mission-driven organizations tackling systemic challenges — from climate to education and child protection. As Chief Storyteller at NONLINEAR, she hosts a podcast spotlighting stories of human reinvention in the age of AI. As a Board Member of the Ethical AI Certification, she helps set the standards for what responsible AI looks like in practice. Across all three roles, she brings the voices of the builders to the table, ensuring AI is shaped by those most affected — not as an afterthought.

​Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of how the Ethical AI Certification works, how it can be used by NGOs, funders, and implementers, and how to engage in the certification or governance process. Participants will also help influence an emerging global standard for ethical AI in development—at a moment when trust, accountability, and power-aware technology design matter more than ever.