Search Climate Insights Directory

The report details specific multipliers and targets for Burundi across several development scenarios. Key interventions include improving government effectiveness, reducing child and maternal mortality, increasing vocational training, boosting agricultural yields, and expanding renewable energy and ICT infrastructure. The document compares these projected outcomes against averages for low-income African countries and historical benchmarks from other African nations.

The report concludes that Africa's current development trajectory is insufficient to meet Agenda 2063 and SDG goals, with 19.1% of the population projected to remain in extreme poverty by 2043. It argues that a 'Combined scenario' of coordinated reforms—including the full implementation of the AfCFTA, improved governance, and an accelerated energy transition—could lift GDP to nearly US$9 trillion and reduce extreme poverty to 10.9% by 2043. Key recommendations include doubling or tripling annual energy buildout through renewables and regional power pools, and prioritizing industrialization in agro-processing and mineral beneficiation.

The Combined Agenda 2063 scenario for Cape Verde projects significant economic growth, with GDP per capita reaching US$15,663 by 2043 and a substantial reduction in extreme poverty. While the service, manufacturing, and ICT sectors are expected to be the primary drivers of GDP, the scenario also predicts an increase in carbon emissions to 0.47 million tons by 2043, necessitating an accelerated energy transition to mitigate environmental degradation.

The report concludes that while Burundi has made progress in peace and macroeconomic stability since 2000, it remains hindered by political fragility, poor infrastructure, and low agricultural productivity. On its current path, the country is forecast to improve but will likely miss many 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The analysis emphasizes that a coordinated policy push across development sectors, focusing on agricultural modernization, economic diversification into manufacturing, and climate-resilient infrastructure, is necessary to reduce aid dependency and improve citizen prosperity.

The Large Infrastructure and Leapfrogging scenario presents an optimistic pathway for Africa, benchmarking progress against historical trajectories in South Asia and South America. It focuses on accelerating the transition to modern energy systems and expanding digital connectivity to drive productivity and social benefits by 2050.

The report outlines the 'Large Infrastructure and Leapfrogging' scenario, which models the effects of targeted infrastructure investment in Africa from 2027 to 2050. It emphasizes the synergy between large-scale renewable energy, off-grid solutions, and ICT to lower barriers for private capital and formalize the informal economy. The analysis uses the International Futures (IFs) platform to categorize spending across traditional, ICT, and other infrastructure, benchmarking progress against developing regions in South Asia and South America.

As of 2022, 41.5% of Africa's population lacked electricity, with sub-Saharan Africa lagging significantly at 51.5% access. The document argues that traditional grid expansion is too slow and expensive for rural areas, proposing a 'leapfrog' strategy centered on solar-based off-grid and mini-grid solutions. World Bank estimates suggest that providing electricity to 380 million people by 2030 would require over 160,000 mini-grids costing approximately US$ 91 billion. Despite possessing 60% of the world's best solar resources, Africa faces severe financing shortfalls, with clean energy finance growing by only 2.5% in sub-Saharan Africa between 2021 and 2022, compared to over 100% in Latin America. Barriers to deployment include high public debt, regulatory bottlenecks, and shifting geopolitical priorities, such as the end of the US Power Africa initiative.

Africa has experienced significant technological leapfrogging by bypassing fixed-line telecommunications in favor of mobile networks. While mobile subscriptions surged from 1.9 to over 100 per 100 people between 2000 and 2023, fixed broadband remains limited. The report highlights the role of satellite internet, such as Starlink, in reaching remote areas and notes that mobile broadband coverage in Nigeria is linked to increased household consumption and poverty reduction. By 2050, mobile phone and mobile broadband subscriptions are projected to reach 150 and 149 per 100 people, respectively, though gaps in affordability and digital skills persist.

Africa's infrastructure spending is robust relative to GDP but insufficient given population growth, with financing heavily reliant on governments and development partners. Public investment is severely constrained by high sovereign debt, with debt servicing costs often exceeding infrastructure spending. Private investment remains low due to high capital costs and risk perceptions, though specific countries like South Africa and Egypt have seen success through targeted policy frameworks. Development finance is also facing a decline due to geopolitical and macroeconomic pressures.

The analysis compares two scenarios for African infrastructure financing up to 2050. Under the 'Large Infrastructure and Leapfrogging' scenario, government spending is projected to reach US$267 billion by 2050, exceeding the 'Current Path' forecast by US$44 billion. Average annual public spending from 2027 to 2050 is expected to be US$171 billion in this scenario, compared to US$150 billion under the Current Path.

Africa faces a critical gap between rapid labour force growth and the creation of formal jobs. By 2043, the labour force is expected to almost double from its 2023 level of 576 million. While the services sector continues to dominate GDP, a 'Combined' scenario involving pro-growth policies could increase Africa's GDP to US$8.9 trillion by 2043, compared to US$6.4 trillion on the 'Current Path'.

The document analyzes Africa's labour force relative to China and India, noting that while Africa has a rapidly growing and youthful workforce that could attract labour-intensive industries, it lags significantly in education, health, and overall labour productivity. Forecasts suggest that without substantial improvements in human capital, the productivity gap between Africa and its Asian counterparts will widen by 2043.

The report warns that Africa's labour force growth is outstripping job supply, leaving many dependent on a low-productivity informal sector. It argues that while agriculture and services will provide most jobs, manufacturing offers the highest long-term impact. To avoid social instability and the risk of a missed demographic dividend, the authors advocate for digitisation to formalise the informal economy, massive upskilling in AI and STEM, and a shift in mindset from seeking jobs to creating them through entrepreneurship.

The report argues that African governments must rely on social grants and employment schemes to support populations not absorbed by the economy. It highlights South Africa's expansive but potentially unsustainable grant system and the Expanded Public Works Programme. The text discusses the transition from conditional to universal grants and the use of biometric identification systems, like India's Aadhaar, to reduce corruption. A critical barrier identified is Africa's low tax-to-GDP ratio (16.5%), exacerbated by tax breaks for investors, which limits the funding available for these social protections.

The document analyzes the stagnation of African agricultural productivity, attributing it to historical factors like slavery, colonialism, and a lack of tenure reform. It contrasts a 'Current Path' forecast—characterized by increasing food import dependence and low yields—with an 'Agriculture scenario' where targeted interventions in AgTech, irrigation, and soil health lead to significant poverty reduction and GDP growth. The report emphasizes the need for food self-sufficiency and value addition within Africa over a reliance on raw commodity exports.

The document outlines the persistent gender gap in Africa despite a comprehensive framework of international and regional policies. It highlights the economic costs of gender inequality and establishes the basis for forecasting the impact of reducing these gaps on the continent's development by 2043.

The document analyzes the potential benefits of increased education spending in Africa by 2043. It finds that an 'Education scenario' would significantly boost GDP, reduce extreme poverty, and improve health outcomes, particularly in lower-income regions, while creating a 'human capital dividend' that accelerates economic growth.

The report highlights the economic disparity for African producers of raw commodities like cocoa and cashew nuts, who export most products without value addition. It details regional agricultural growth forecasts and warns of a widening gap between crop production and demand, which is expected to increase food imports and vulnerability to international price fluctuations by 2043.

The document highlights a significant gap in educational quality in Africa, noting that sub-Saharan Africa consistently underperforms globally in primary and secondary standardized tests. It emphasizes that educational quality has a stronger correlation with economic growth than quantity. The text identifies a 'learning crisis' driven by student unpreparedness due to malnutrition and poverty, ineffective or absent teachers, lack of materials, and poor governance. It also stresses the critical role of early childhood development (ECD) and nutrition in establishing the cognitive foundations necessary for quality learning outcomes.

The report describes a 'narrowing funnel' in sub-Saharan African education, where high initial primary enrolment is offset by significant 'leaks' at each subsequent level, leading to very low tertiary graduation rates. It contrasts these outcomes with North Africa and global benchmarks, noting that sub-Saharan Africa is forecast to miss several 2030 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets. The analysis highlights a growing intergenerational education gap and predicts that the attainment gap between sub-Saharan Africa and other developing regions will widen by 2030.