Regional Agenda World Economic Forum on Africa

The 2012 World Economic Forum on Africa highlighted the continent's potential as a global growth pole, emphasizing the need for structural transformation over simple economic growth. Key discussions centered on the critical role of the private sector in closing a US$ 90 billion annual infrastructure gap, the potential for ICTs to create 150 million jobs by 2020, and the necessity of regional integration to overcome small domestic markets. The report advocates for bold leadership to empower youth, bridge the gender gap, and modernize agriculture through initiatives like Grow Africa to ensure inclusive prosperity.

• Africa is experiencing significant economic momentum, with seven of the world's ten fastest-growing economies located on the continent and a projected growth rate of 6% for 2012.
• There is a critical need to shift from mere economic growth to structural transformation, particularly by boosting the manufacturing sector, which currently accounts for only 1% of global manufacturing.
• Africa faces a massive infrastructure deficit that requires an estimated US$ 90 billion in annual investment, necessitating public-private partnerships to de-risk investments for the private sector.
• Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are identified as major drivers of productivity and employment, with the potential to create 150 million new jobs for young Africans by 2020.
• Regional integration is essential to create economies of scale and attract investment, as current trade is hindered by a patchwork of regulations and inadequate cross-border infrastructure.
• Agriculture represents a transformational opportunity for food security and job creation, supported by the fact that Africa possesses 60% of the world's available arable land.
• Youth unemployment and marginalization pose a risk to political stability, as half of the continent's population is under 20 years old and 70% of the working-age population is unemployed.

APA

World Economic Forum (2012). Regional Agenda World Economic Forum on Africa. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/AF12/WEF_AF12_Report.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Regional Agenda World Economic Forum on Africa. 2012. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/AF12/WEF_AF12_Report.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Regional Agenda World Economic Forum on Africa |date=2012 |url=http://www3.weforum.org/docs/AF12/WEF_AF12_Report.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2012regional, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Regional Agenda World Economic Forum on Africa}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2012}, url = {http://www3.weforum.org/docs/AF12/WEF_AF12_Report.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }