Addis Ababa — Africa has no problem with ideas, but the struggle is in how to implement them, leaders said at an inaugural forum convened to promote action on development.
Addressing the inaugural Africa Development Impact Forum (ADIF), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Executive Secretary Clever Gatete emphasised that Africa must move quickly from great ideas to sound implementation of them to unlock jobs and accelerate economic growth on the continent.
“Africa possesses one of the world’s greatest strategic assets: its people,” Gatete said.
Gatete noted that more than 60% of Africans are under the age of 25, which makes Africa the youngest continent in the world but also the most challenged in delivering job opportunities.
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Plenty Solutions, No Action
Research evidence shows that Africa has solutions for development success, but the question remains: why have these proven solutions not been adopted and expanded across the continent?
Africa is not lacking in effective policies, evident in the ambitious Agenda 2063 policy framework and national development plans. Decades of investment have not yielded impressive social and economic benefits in many African countries – and it is crucial to address the implementation gap and drive job creation.
Africa needs to generate over 15 million jobs annually to care for its booming young population. More than a million youth are unemployed in Africa. By 2050, one in three young people globally will live in Africa. The youth labour force in Africa is projected to grow by over 73 million people by 2050, according to the International Labour Organization.
The ILO estimates that 53 million young people were not in employment, education or training in 2023, and the vast majority of those who do find work remain concentrated in informal and low-productivity jobs.
“If Africa’s greatest challenge is jobs, then Africa’s greatest opportunity is also jobs,” said Gatete, adding, “Why? Because Africa possesses many of the ingredients required for the transformation we seek.”
The forum, held under the theme ‘Bridging the Implementation Gap: Best Practices and Innovative Solutions for Job Creation in Africa’, aims to speed up change to generate meaningful jobs and economic opportunities across Africa. It sought to achieve this by encouraging evidence-based policy design informed by applied research on jobs, as well as by building consensus on fundable solutions and best practices.
“This forum is not about identifying good ideas but about answering questions of how to move to impact,” Gatete said, underlining that Africa’s future depends on its ability to mobilise domestic resources, attract investment, build competitive industries and create sustainable employment opportunities for its growing population.
Organisers of the forum highlighted that Africa’s ingredients for success include abundant entrepreneurial talent, vast renewable energy resources and critical minerals essential to the global energy transition. Furthermore, Africa has growing urban markets. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) can boost job creation with its potential to increase intra-African trade by up to 45% by 2045.
Africa is industrialising, with key projects driving economic growth across the continent. From Morocco’s emergence as a major automotive manufacturing hub to Rwanda’s innovation-driven entrepreneurship ecosystem to Ethiopia’s industrial and agro-industrial parks. Kenya has developed a globally recognised digital economy, while Egypt is expanding its manufacturing base.
“Evidence alone does not create change; evidence must be translated into policies and practices that are implementable,” said Mona Iddrisu, head of the Youth, Employment and Skills Programme at the African Centre for Economic Transformation.
“At a time when Africa must create millions of quality jobs for its growing youth population, ADIF provides a unique platform to move beyond discussion and focus on implementation. It brings together policymakers, researchers, innovators, development partners, and the private sector to identify solutions, build partnerships, and chart practical pathways to delivery.
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United Nations Deputy Secretary General, Amina Mohammed highlighted that the forum was being held at a pivotal moment for Africa to move from policy design to impact.
“Africa’s development aspirations are clear. Agenda 2063, the sustainable development goals, and the Pact of the Future provide a shared blueprint for inclusive growth, sustainable development, and dignity for all,” Mohamed noted. “But blueprints do not create jobs. Commitments do not build livelihoods. Strategies do not transform communities unless they’re matched by delivery. This is especially urgent for Africa’s young people.”
Gatete, calling for investment in people skills and capabilities to match demands of a changing economy, suggested a key solution: “If Africa is to create jobs at the scale required, then we must build a complete enabling ecosystem for inclusive and job-rich growth.”
IPS UN Bureau Report
