In October 2023, the African Development Bank reported that Africa’s progress on the SDGs remains uneven. With persistent challenges like poverty and limited energy access, a new study from the Brookings Institution urges a bold rethink of strategies to boost results.

Africa has made progress in areas like health. Still, it remains far behind on most Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including ending hunger (SDG 2) and ensuring access to reliable, sustainable energy (SDG 7).

A new report published this week by the Brookings Institution highlights the continent's potential to change course by adopting innovative and systematic approaches different from those used before.

The Foresight Africa: Top Priorities for Africa 2025–2030 report emphasizes Africa's vast resources, with 30% of the world's mineral reserves, including gold, cobalt, and diamonds. By 2050, Africa will account for at least a quarter of the global workforce, making it the youngest population in the world.

However, these strengths contrast with persistent challenges. Around 60% of Africans live in poverty, youth unemployment exceeds 25%, and more than 85% of the population faces food insecurity. The report also notes weak governance, insufficient infrastructure, and a lack of critical social services as barriers to progress.

The report reveals stagnation or even regression in achieving most SDGs in Africa, mirroring global trends. “Halfway through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) timeline, only 17% of the targets are on track globally and almost 35% are stagnating or regressing. The picture across Africa follows a similar trend,” the document says. According to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), less than 6% of the 32 measurable SDG targets are expected to be met by 2030 on the continent.

A Call for Strategic Change

Achieving the SDGs in Africa requires bold and strategic actions. According to the global SDG index, African countries need to grow at an average rate of 4% per year to meet the targets, but the current growth rate is below 1%.

The report suggests an ecosystem approach that aligns activities to tackle multiple goals at the same time. For example, promoting smart agriculture can reduce poverty, create jobs, enhance human capital, reduce income inequality, and fight hunger while protecting the environment. Such integrated actions can optimize resources and collaboration between the public and private sectors.

African nations are also encouraged to prepare for a decline in international development aid by improving domestic spending efficiency and exploring innovative financing for infrastructure, energy, and technology.

Building Regional Value Chains

The report stresses the need to develop regional value chains to boost income, diversify economies, create jobs, and retain more value within the continent. For example, refining minerals like cobalt and lithium locally can significantly increase revenue.

It also recommends improving public financial management and addressing tax loopholes to generate additional income. On the global front, stronger efforts are needed to curb illicit financial flows and explore new revenue streams, such as carbon markets, to fund Africa’s development.

Rwandan Prime Minister Édouard Ngirente, a co-author of the report, believes that achieving the SDGs is within reach despite the challenges. Significant investments in education, employment, resilient infrastructure, and renewable energy, while protecting vulnerable communities, are key.

Boosting intra-African trade, diversifying economies, and leveraging digital technologies and green energy could lead to transformative changes.

These efforts must be supported by improved governance, local resource mobilization, and strong public-private partnerships. Additionally, the African Union’s Agenda 2063 provides a long-term vision tailored to the continent's realities, which could help drive progress on the SDGs.

This article was originally written in French by Abdel-Latif Boureima

Edited in English by Firmine AIZAN