*Overview Document <https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2C1pB1yXaOEbl8xX2R4VVpqSFk/view?usp=sharing>* The 2017 Africa Open Data Conference in Accra, Ghana is set to attract over 600 delegates drawn from all over Africa and the world at large. This auspicious event will push the leadership role of the private sector in supplying, using, and demanding open data; bring together brilliant innovators and visionaries to grow their networks, hone their success, and connect with sources of support; and introduce investors and donors to an expanding sector that seeks and supplies open data to achieve development goals in Africa and across the globe. Goals for this conference include: 1. Listen. 2. Create regional attention and global awareness of increasingly pan-Africa use and publication of open data including catalytic open data initiatives in African countries. 3. Develop and host continent-wide Africa Open Data Conference in a transparent and inclusive way to support structured and reliable engagement of a growing community. 4. Prioritize agenda of ongoing and inclusive actions beyond the conference dates. 5. Convene existing robust open data community in Africa and encourage new participation in person and virtually before, during, and beyond the event. 6. Develop and grow international collaborations in open data focused on African areas of interest including sectors (education, energy, agriculture, WASH), economic growth (jobs, business), service delivery (public service efficiencies) and internal government processes(efficiency and accountability). 7. Demonstrate the vital role of of non-government data (crowdsourcing, private sector, civil society, university, etc). 8. Demonstrate the vital role of an engaged civil society in driving institutional change in governments and the development complex 9. Build from Open Data Consensus, Data Revolution, Africa 2063 Planning, SDG targets, and where possible- OGP Subnational and National Action Plans already underway 10. Attract side event organizers who capitalize on the planning of the conference to extend technical training and community building 11. Prioritize sessions that focus heavily on audience participation in person and virtual. 12. Promoting the development and harmonization of data standards across board 13. Identify needed policy measures to address core issues of open data in Ghana and across Africa. 14. Support existing efforts and attract new partners to assess baseline and count progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals including strengthening country data roadmaps. For more information, visit: http://www.africaopendata.net/ *Michael L. Ilishebo,* *Kitwe, Zambia* *Mobile Contacts:* *+260965361255+260977361255+260955361255* *Social Media Handles* *Twitter: @ilishebo* *Skype: michael.ilishebo* *"walk a mile,for a while,with a smile"*