Continent Radar - Africa

Africa's energy poverty is a significant challenge, with 600 million people lacking access to electricity. To address this, the continent is turning to nuclear energy, with several countries already investing in nuclear power plants. Despite concerns over safety and cost, experts argue that nuclear energy is a viable option, with modern reactors having passive safety systems and a lower death rate per kWh compared to other energy sources. Countries like South Africa, Egypt, and Ghana are leading the charge, with South Korea and France serving as models for successful nuclear energy programs. As Africa's industry and population grow, the demand for electricity will increase, making nuclear energy a crucial component of the continent's energy mix.

Africa is pushing forward its climate agenda with ambition, urgency, and resolve, demanding that others meet their duties under international climate agreements. The continent has resolved to build modern, green, and inclusive industrial economies, harnessing its natural resources and fostering international partnerships. With steadfast leadership and focus, Africa is one of the most ambitious actors in the Paris Climate Agreement, with many countries having signed the Agreement and submitted bold Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

The African Union has placed reparations at the center of its continental agenda, aiming to correct deep structural imbalances and drive shared prosperity. The 2025 Conference on Land Policy in Africa highlighted the need for land governance, justice, and reparations to address historical injustices and present-day exclusion. Transformative reparations must empower Africa to generate and retain value, not surrender it, by dismantling incentives that favor raw commodity exports and strengthening land governance and tenure security.

A high-level policy dialogue in Niamey, Niger, explored how innovation, data, and frontier technologies can accelerate West Africa's economic transformation. The meeting brought together senior government officials, private sector leaders, and civil society organizations to discuss how to drive economic growth, competitiveness, and sustainable development in the region.

The island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe is set to conduct its first-ever national tourism survey, aiming to collect reliable data on employment, investment, and the economic impact of tourism. The survey, supported by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, will help inform public policy and attract investment in the sector, which is seen as a key driver of sustainable development and economic diversification.

São Tomé and Príncipe is conducting a national tourism survey to gather data from 285 establishments, aiming to create reliable statistics on employment, investment, and economic impact. The survey, supported by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, will help inform public policies, attract investment, and support sustainable tourism development. By strengthening its statistical system, the country seeks to turn tourism into a driver of growth, contributing to economic diversification and the blue economy. With a focus on sustainable development, São Tomé and Príncipe is taking a decisive step towards building a robust tourism industry, capable of informing strategic planning and supporting the valorization of its natural and cultural assets.

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa is hosting a high-level policy dialogue to explore how innovation, data, and frontier technologies can support economic transformation in West Africa. The event aims to build on ongoing digital transformation efforts and stimulate policy discussions on driving economic growth, competitiveness, and sustainable development.

Africa's youth are eager to start businesses, but face significant barriers. An upcoming webinar, hosted by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and the Africa Development Impact Forum, aims to bridge the aspirational gap by exploring systemic barriers and concrete solutions to enable high-growth entrepreneurship. The event will bring together voices from research, policy, investment, and practice to focus on creating a conducive environment for young entrepreneurs to thrive.

Zambia has made significant strides in developing a robust migration policy framework, but a "implementation deficit" prevents it from fully harnessing the power of human mobility for development. The country's stakeholders have identified key challenges, including a data gap, siloed institutions, economic drivers of vulnerability, and legal and protection gaps. To bridge this gap, actionable recommendations have been proposed, including building an integrated data system, making development work for migrants, shifting from detention to rights-based management, and formalizing labour migration.