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The Africa Economic Symposium (AES) has firmly established itself as one of the flagship annual events of the Policy Center for the New South, alongside the Atlantic Dialogues and the African Peace and Security Annual Conference (APSACO). Now in its third edition, AES continues to provide a unique platform for economists, policymakers, and academics from across the continent and beyond to exchange perspectives on the pressing macroeconomic and structural challenges facing Africa. Its mission remains to foster rigorous, evidence-based debates that inform policymaking and support long-term strategies for Africa’s development in an era of uncertainty.
The 2025 edition, convened under the theme “Bold Moves amid Global Shifts,” explored the difficult policy trade-offs confronting African governments as they navigate a volatile global environment. The continent’s recovery from COVID-19 has been uneven, while debt pressures, supply chain disruptions, and geopolitical tensions weigh heavily on fiscal and economic resilience. Structural challenges such as persistent unemployment, low productivity, and the exclusion of Africa’s youth continue to hinder inclusive growth, even as policymakers are called upon to adapt to deep systemic uncertainty.
The symposium underscored that many African states are increasingly resorting to short-term stabilization measures—such as accumulating reserves and postponing reforms—that may provide immediate security but risk delaying the structural transformation urgently needed. Against this backdrop, AES 2025 called for a careful balance between fiscal prudence, social investment, and the pursuit of sustainable growth, placing emphasis on reforming governance, improving macroeconomic management, and accelerating structural change.
The discussions highlighted the urgent need to rethink Africa’s economic strategies in a shifting global order. From debt sustainability and the role of central banks to the promise of financial innovation, digital inclusion, and new instruments such as central bank digital currencies, the symposium emphasized that policy choices must align with long-term transformation goals. The debates also explored the opportunities and challenges of regional integration, trade connectivity, and development finance, all of which are essential levers for Africa’s resilience and prosperity.
As in previous editions, the Annual Report on African Economies was launched alongside the symposium, offering an in-depth analysis of the continent’s macroeconomic dynamics and structural transformation pathways. More than just a publication, the report reflects the collective intellectual effort of leading scholars and practitioners, providing evidence-based insights to guide decision- makers. Together, the symposium and the report reinforced the Policy Center for the New South’s commitment to fostering forward-looking economic thinking that moves beyond short-term headlines to tackle Africa’s enduring challenges.
