A few weeks before the third edition of the SIMA – Salon des Industries Musicales d’Afrique francophone in Cotonou, the event highlighted the growing influence of African music on the global stage during the Africa Day event at Sciences Po Paris. The event featured a panel discussion titled "The influence of African music: from local success to the conquest of global stages," bringing together artists, label executives, live event professionals, and industry experts. The presence of Corinne Amori Brunet, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Benin, the host country of the upcoming SIMA edition, underscored the event’s importance and its alignment with Benin’s international outreach strategy, which views culture as a key tool for enhancing the country’s influence and appeal. The minister emphasized the need for a collective effort to structure the African music ecosystem, asking how to create a system that supports the discovery, training, and production of African talent without the need for international export. Pit Baccardi, co-founder of the SIMA, opened the discussions by addressing the realities of the music industry, drawing from his dual role as both an artist and a producer. He emphasized the challenge of moving from visibility to sustainable influence that can generate opportunities and value for all industry actors. The panel, moderated by Mamby Diomandé, founder and general commissioner of the SIMA, included leading figures such as Pauline Duarte, Director of Columbia Labels Group at Sony Music Entertainment, Angelo Gopee, CEO of Live Nation France & MIDEM, Singuila, an artist and performer, and Marc-André Niang, Director of Warner Music Afrique Francophone. The discussions focused on the growing success of African artists on international platforms and stages, and the need to transform this exposure into sustainable careers, economic value, and long-term influence. The panel participants shared their experiences regarding access to international markets, the role of labels and live event professionals, and the importance of structuring African music ecosystems to support talent over time. Pit Baccardi noted, "The question is no longer whether African music has a place on global stages. They are already there. The challenge is now to build the conditions for this presence to be sustainable, for our artists to have greater control over their trajectories, and for the value created to fully benefit African ecosystems." This meeting reflects the evolution of the SIMA, which now considers music within a broader context of cultural and creative industries, cultural influence, and African soft power. The Paris event precedes the third edition of the SIMA, which will be held in Cotonou from November 12 to 13, 2026, under the theme "African music: from the stage to influence power." The program will bring together artists, industry professionals, institutions, brands, and creative industry actors to discuss issues related to creation, innovation, structuring, and international outreach. The event will include artist residencies, live sessions, a stage for emerging talents, professional meetings, and panels. On November 12 and 13, the Makaya will honor the new generation of African music through a stage dedicated to emerging talents, with artists from Togo, Kenya, Madagascar, and other countries performing. Through this third edition, the SIMA aims to expand its mission of using music as a starting point for broader discussions on creation, the transformation of cultural industries, and Africa’s influence on the global stage.