The African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET) in partnership with the Africa Growth Initiative (AGI) at the Brookings Institution will launch the Foresight Africa report on Thursday 31 January 2019 in Accra, Ghana. Foresight Africa is the annual flagship report of the Africa Growth Initiative (AGI) at Brookings, offering perspectives from diverse leaders regarding regional priorities for the year.
As 2019 begins, hope abounds that Africa can build on the progress of the past years and advance its economic potential. The 2014 terms of trade shock from the commodities slump that hit hard many countries in the region has largely dissipated. Across the continent, economic growth is projected to expand at the fastest pace in five years, according to the International Monetary Fund’s World Economic Outlook. Nearly half of the world’s fastest growing economies this year will be African. Business environments are improving, thanks to widespread reform efforts, and Africa’s leadership and institutions are more assertive in advancing the continent’s agenda.
The Brookings Institution’s AGI explores these trends and features diverse expert viewpoints in Foresight Africa. The report recognizes both the diversity of the continent and the common threads that bind it together. In this year’s edition, contributors explore six themes: (1) good governance; (2) controlling indebtedness and mobilizing financial resources; (3) job creation and the youth bulge; (4) fixing state fragility; (5) opportunities for the private sector in African markets; and (6) the African Continental Free Trade Area and Africa’s engagement with external partners.
The launch will feature a panel of leading Africa experts who will offer insights on regional trends along with recommendations for national governments, regional organizations, multilateral institutions and civil society actors as they forge ahead in 2019.
