Uhuru Kenyatta arrived in Libreville, Gabon, on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, for a high-level African peace and security retreat that has drawn diplomats, mediators and regional leaders seeking new approaches to conflict resolution across the continent.

The gathering, formally known as the 17th High-Level Retreat on the Promotion of Peace, Security and Stability in Africa, comes at a moment of mounting concern over prolonged conflicts, political instability and fragile peace agreements in several African states.

Organisers said this year’s discussions would focus on strengthening ceasefires, promoting national dialogue and advancing reconciliation efforts aimed at achieving what participants described as “durable peace” across the continent.

The Office of the Fourth President of Kenya said Uhuru would join representatives from the African Union, regional blocs, United Nations agencies and peacebuilding institutions during the multi-stakeholder forum in the Gabonese capital.

Held under the theme, “Powering Ceasefires, National Dialogue and Reconciliation for Durable Peace,” the retreat is expected to examine both the successes and shortcomings of African-led mediation efforts in recent years.

Uhuru, who has increasingly taken on diplomatic and mediation roles since leaving office in 2022, has remained active in continental peace initiatives, particularly in the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region.

His participation in the Libreville meeting underscores the growing reliance on former African heads of state in back-channel diplomacy and conflict mediation.

Such retreats have become increasingly important as African institutions seek locally driven solutions to crises that have often resisted international intervention.

The meeting is also expected to explore ways of improving coordination between regional organisations, civil society actors and international partners involved in peacekeeping and reconciliation programs.

The forum is expected to provide an opportunity for policymakers and mediators to exchange lessons from ongoing and past peace processes across the continent.

The retreat continues this week in Libreville.