Accra, Ghana (TDI): Pakistan’s Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed has become among the first few Asians invited to the first-ever African Political Parties Summit, hosted by Ghana
The Summit brought together over 200 representatives from over 40 African countries, from 12-14 August, 2025. He was invited as the Co-Chairman of International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) and President of PAIDAR, Pakistan’s first think tank on Africa.
In addition to addressing the Summit, he also met with the Vice President of Ghana, Jane Naana, Chief of Staff to President of Ghana, Julius Debrah, and Deputy Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Ebrahim Farah.
As the Summit coincided with Pakistan’s Independence Day, he also took part in a Pakistan Day ceremony and interacted with the Pakistani community in Africa, including representatives of African think tanks, media and business leaders.
In his address, Senator Mushahid spoke in detail about the “Mandela Model” of peace, struggle, freedom, and democracy. He recalled that after his in-person interactions with President Mandela, he was convinced that the Mandela Model was key to stability because it places forgive-and-forget above vengeance and victimization, and is based on inclusive and institutional democracy.
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He also spotlighted Pakistan’s history of supporting freedom struggles in Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Eritrea, Somalia, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
A greater part of his talk focused on how Asia and Africa have cooperated in the past, as he recalled the 1955 Bandung Conference hosted by Indonesian President Sukarno, which was co-sponsored by Pakistan, and which laid the basis of Afro-Asian solidarity.
He also introduced the Pakistan-Africa Institute of Development & Research (PAIDAR) to the audience, which has now become the principal non-governmental platform to promote Pakistan-Africa relations.
Senator Mushahid is one of the key figures in Pakistan who advocate for better relations with African countries. This advocacy has led to him being known among the African nations, and his invitation to the Summit as one of the few from Asia speaks for the desire of African countries to expand relations through people wo understand the continent and its history.
Senator Mushahid expressed hope about the resurgence of the Global South as world order has considerably shifted in the 21st century.
Sohail Majeed
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
