Africa can only achieve its ambition of integration and progress by profoundly transforming its productive structures, and developing activities that add more value to the continent’s natural assets. To enable African companies to move up the value chain, three priorities stand out: ensure the provision of appropriate services to business clusters; develop regional production networks; and improve the ability of exporters to grow in evolving markets.
African development strategies
Africa’s economic and social transformation is a global priority. The OECD supports the implementation of the African Union’s strategic vision at continental, regional, national and local levels by co-producing cutting-edge data and analysis with African member states and partners, and facilitating an open policy dialogue.
Key messages
Young people in Africa are more numerous and better educated than ever before, but economic growth, even when it is high, has been translating into too few decent jobs for them so far. To reverse that trend, policy makers must act on two fronts: address the bottlenecks constraining the demand for labour –e.g. improve firms’ access to energy or digital services—, and help workers obtain the right skills to succeed.
Government revenue is the primary source of development finance for any country, and an essential component of the social contract. The OECD works with African financial and tax administrations to create databases of trusted, comparable data, improve collection and fight illicit financial flows.
Context
How to unleash the economic power of African cities
People in Africa's cities benefit from higher socio-economic outcomes and standards of living than the countries in which they are located. Urbanisation is an opportunity for Africa, and governments should maximise its benefits by investing in cities of all sizes.
Tackling the acceptance of discrimination against women and girls in Africa
Discriminatory social institutions restrict African women’s empowerment in terms of physical integrity, economic situation and political voice. To roll them back, policy priorities include protection from gender-based violence, child marriage prevention and improved access to quality jobs.
