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This report analyzes the evolving public debt landscape in Africa, highlighting a shift from concessional multilateral lending to a fragmented creditor base including private bondholders and non-Paris Club creditors. It argues that while not a continent-wide insolvency crisis, the combination of high debt-service burdens, institutional weaknesses, and climate-related fiscal shocks has created a fragile environment requiring systemic reform beyond simple debt-to-GDP metrics.

This case study examines the tension between Ghana's economic growth and its environmental and fiscal sustainability, focusing on the energy sector's debt and the ecological damage caused by illegal gold mining (galamsey). It argues that Ghana must transition from a high-carbon, debt-driven energy model and a destructive informal mining sector toward green industrialization and renewable energy to ensure long-term economic transformation.

This policy brief from the African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET) examines the challenges and opportunities for Africa to move from a raw mineral export model to green industrialization through regional collaboration on critical resource minerals (CRMs).

This policy brief from the African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET) examines the intersection of energy poverty and green industrialization in Africa. It argues that while the continent faces severe electricity deficits and fossil fuel dependence, its abundant renewable resources provide a strategic opportunity to leapfrog to cleaner energy systems to drive job creation and productivity, provided that institutional, regulatory, and financing barriers are addressed.

This policy brief argues that Africa can drive economic transformation and a just transition by leveraging its critical minerals (such as cobalt in the DRC) and renewable energy potential through the development of innovation ecosystems. It highlights existing momentum in tech hubs and universities in countries like Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Morocco as a foundation for developing green technologies for local and global markets.

This policy brief from the African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET) argues for the strategic use of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) to accelerate green industrialization in Africa, specifically through energy data exchange to optimize renewable energy distribution.

Côte d’Ivoire is characterized as a moderate economic transformer with an overall African Transformation Index (ATI) score of 25.9, ranking 15th out of 30 analyzed countries. The economy is heavily reliant on agricultural exports, particularly cocoa, and faces challenges regarding export competitiveness, productivity growth, and economic diversification.

The paper argues that Africa faces unsustainable public debt levels due to a shift toward private and non-traditional creditors, which increases borrowing costs and crowds out climate and social investments. It concludes that current G20 and Common Framework relief mechanisms are insufficient and calls for a fundamental overhaul of the global financial system.

This policy brief by the African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET) outlines the necessity of reforming the international financial architecture and strengthening African financial institutions to bridge the climate finance gap and support green industrialization in Africa.

Remarks by Mavis Owusu-Gyamfi of the African Center for Economic Transformation regarding the need for Africa to strategically position itself within the reform of the global financial architecture to support economic transformation and green industrialization.

This policy brief identifies five systemic barriers preventing African countries from accessing necessary climate finance and proposes specific interventions to enable a just climate transition.

The Marrakech Framework is a statement published by the African Center for Economic Transformation in October 2023. It outlines an African agenda for reforming the global financial architecture to better serve the continent's needs, focusing on debt resolution, increased concessional financing, and a transition to a green economy.

This briefing note provides guidance for finance ministers of debtor countries participating in the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable (GSDR). It argues for the establishment of guiding principles for domestic debt restructuring (DDR) to ensure that long-term economic growth and poverty reduction are prioritized and that the burden of adjustment is shared fairly between domestic and foreign creditors.

This policy brief by the African Center for Economic Transformation examines the challenges of youth unemployment in Africa and evaluates school-to-work transition programs. It highlights a systemic trade-off between the scale and quality of these initiatives, noting that large-scale programs often lack relevant training, while high-quality programs fail to reach a significant portion of the youth population.

This statement from the African Center for Economic Transformation evaluates the outcomes of the Paris summit for a new global financial pact, highlighting the emergence of a unified African voice and a broader global coalition calling for the reform of an international financial architecture that is deemed unfit for current overlapping crises.

This fact sheet provides a profile of Kenya's economic transformation based on the African Transformation Index (ATI), detailing performance across diversification, export competitiveness, productivity, technology, and human well-being.

This report by the African Center for Economic Transformation analyzes the cocoa value chain in Liberia, identifying significant binding constraints in production, logistics, and governance. It argues that the sector must transition from a traditional commodity model to a high-value-adding industry to drive economic transformation.

This report by the African Center for Economic Transformation evaluates the sustainability of Export Processing Zones (EPZs) in Ghana. It finds that after 25 years, the EPZ model has failed to meet many of its original objectives and lacks integration with broader industrial policies, environmental standards, and anti-corruption measures. The report recommends a comprehensive policy overhaul, increased private sector involvement in infrastructure, and the adoption of climate-friendly investment strategies.

This policy brief by the African Center for Economic Transformation outlines the significant climate finance gap facing Africa and proposes six priorities for the continent at COP27, including immediate technical assistance and long-term financial commitments.

This policy brief argues that current policy approaches in African countries are insufficient for long-term development and resilience against shocks, citing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and historical structural weaknesses.