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2019
Africa's GDP growth is projected to accelerate to 4.0 percent in 2019 and 4.1 percent in 2020 - but improved macroeconomic and employment outcomes require industry to lead growth, according to the 2019 African Economic Outlook report. Published annually since 2003, the African Development Bank’s flagship report provides headline numbers on Africa’s economic performance and outlook.
2018
Infrastructure Financing Trends in Africa is the Infrastructure Consortium for Africa’s flagship annual report. It provides consistent and comprehensive reporting of the mobilisation of financial resources for the development of Africa’s infrastructure, covering the continent’s energy, water & sanitation, transport and ICT sectors.
2018
The African Development Bank's Africa Infrastructure Development Index (AIDI) monitors the status and progress of infrastructure development across the continent. The 2018 brief presents the latest AIDI information on progress made by African countries using data collected by the Bank under its Africa Infrastructure Knowledge Programme (AIKP), and discusses the reasons behind the latest trends. The present bulletin extends coverage to the period 2000–2018. The annual AIDI updates present selected indicators that comprise the index’s major components, namely: (i) electricity; (ii) transport; (iii) ICT; and (iv) water and sanitation.
2018
This paper from Australia's independent Future Directions International (FDI) research institute argues that, as Africa looks to exploit its enormous hydroelectric potential, diligent management of large-scale dam projects will be required if they are not to create more problems than they solve, while consideration needs to be given to the interaction between food, water and energy security if the continent is to achieve a sustainable balance between those three resources.
The United States and China have different philosophies towards supporting Africa's infrastructure development. China adopts a more state-led approach, spearheaded by state-owned enterprises and policy banks. The US is more willing to let private companies and the market take the lead on commercial development, while the US government itself puts more emphasis on the continent’s capacity building and governance challenges. But can the two countries join forces and cooperate to advance Africa's development?
2018
The latest edition of the UNCTAD flagship Economic Development in Africa Report takes aim at the preconceived notion that migration from Africa harms rather than helps the continent. Titled 'Migration for Structural Transformation', the 2018 report argues that migration benefits both origin and destination countries across Africa, and suggests that African migration can play a key role in the structural transformation of the continent’s economies. Pointing out that, contrary to some perceptions, most migration in Africa today is taking place within the continent, the report argues that this intra-African migration is an essential ingredient for deeper regional and continental integration.
2018
Improving conditions for people and businesses in African cities by aggressively investing in infrastructure and reforming land markets is the key to accelerating economic growth, adding jobs, and improving competitiveness. 'Africa's Cities - Opening Doors to the World', published by the World Bank, argues that Africa’s rapidly expanding cities have a critical role to play in their countries’ economic growth, but notes that investment in African cities’ infrastructure, and their industrial and commercial structures, have not kept pace with urbanisation and population growth. To free African cities from the "low development trap", the report calls for coordinated infrastructure investment - interlinking housing, commercial and industrial development - alongside effective urban planning.
2018
Financing Africa's infrastructure development is the special theme of the 2018 edition of the African Development Bank's "African Economic Outlook". The report highlights that Africa's infrastructure needs amount to $130–$170 billion a year, with a financing gap of $68–$108 billion. Flagging up that institutional investors manage more than $100 trillion in assets globally, the report suggests that just a small fraction of the excess global savings and low-yield resources would be enough to plug Africa’s financing gap, and finance productive and profitable infrastructure.
