The 6th African Philanthropy Conference will convene in Cairo, Eagypt under the theme “Sustainable Financing for Development in the Majority World”
As the 6th African Philanthropy Conference convenes in Cairo with a bold agenda—“Sustainable Financing for Development in the Majority World”—one of the most anticipated voices will be that of Kerezhi Sebany, Associate Director at the ONE Campaign, leading its global strategy on development finance and multilateral institutions.
Known for her precise yet forceful interventions in policy spaces that often feel removed from community realities, Sebany stands at the intersection of political advocacy, global financing, and African agency.
The term “development finance” may seem technical, but for Sebany, it’s anything but abstract.
It’s about the structures and flows of money that determine whether a rural clinic gets staffed, whether a national debt crisis swallows a generation’s prospects, or whether Africa’s green transition can truly be its own.
In a landscape long shaped by power imbalances—from colonial extraction to structural adjustment programs—Sebany’s work has consistently asked a critical question: Who holds the pen when our financial futures are drafted?
A System Architect, Not Just a Critic
Sebany’s current portfolio at ONE Campaign places her in direct conversation with the most influential institutions in the global financial system: the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and various regional development banks.
In this capacity, she leads efforts to influence how these bodies structure debt relief, climate financing, and pandemic recovery packages that affect billions across the continent.
Rather than merely critiquing the status quo, Sebany is part of a growing African policy cohort pushing for systemic redesign.
In her role at ONE, she has helped shape the organization’s campaigns for equitable access to Special Drawing Rights (SDRs)—a form of international reserve asset that proved essential during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Right Voice at the Right Time
Why Kerezhi Sebany—and why now?
The very premise of the 2025 APC is to move beyond patchwork funding and toward a structural rethink of how development is financed in the Majority World. This is not a side conversation anymore.
It is the conversation. Whether through climate-linked bonds, SDR reallocations, diaspora-backed ventures, or philanthropic capital seeking long-term systems change, the tools and philosophies of financing are evolving rapidly.
But without grounded advocates like Sebany, they risk replicating old power imbalances in new forms.
As Africa grapples with climate pressures, uneven recovery from COVID-19, and spiraling debt distress, there is a renewed urgency to ensure that financing isn’t just “available,” but just morally and structurally.
Sebany’s work speaks directly to this challenge.
She brings a clear grasp of macroeconomics without losing sight of lived experience.
This makes her a compelling interlocutor between global financial architects and grassroots realities—a bridge that is rarely built, but desperately needed.
What She Brings to Cairo
At past international gatherings, ONE Campaign—where Sebany plays a pivotal leadership role—has called for richer nations to rechannel unused SDRs toward low- and middle-income countries, especially in Africa.
These calls are more than numbers. They reflect a deeper belief: that African countries must have the fiscal space to invest in their futures without being trapped in cycles of austerity or dependency.
At the Cairo gathering, Sebany is poised to provoke, challenge, and engage.
Her interventions will likely push philanthropists, bilateral donors, and development finance actors to go beyond project funding and think about systems-level investments.
As more philanthropies enter the arena of climate finance, health systems strengthening, and education infrastructure, her insights will be essential in grounding those efforts in frameworks that are equitable and effective.
Importantly, she might also bring a message of collaborative accountability: that financial actors, whether public or private, must be held to standards not only of efficiency, but of justice.
In an era where billions are pledged but outcomes remain elusive, such clarity is vital.
Building a Shared Financing Future
The 6th African Philanthropy Conference is not just a venue to share new ideas—it is a testing ground for bold reimagining.
With speakers like Kerezhi Sebany in the room, the conversation will not stay comfortable. And that’s a good thing.
Because sustainable financing isn’t about what is easy or conventional—it’s about what is fair, effective, and African-led.
Sebany represents a new generation of African finance thinkers who are not asking for a seat at the table. They are, instead, redesigning the table altogether.
