African leaders, policymakers, experts, and civil society groups have renewed their commitment to accelerate sustainable development across the continent with the adoption of the Addis Ababa Declaration at the close of a high-level regional forum in Ethiopia.
The declaration was adopted at the end of the 12th session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development, held in Addis Ababa from April 30, under the theme: “Turning the tide: transformative and coordinated actions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want.”
The forum brought together a wide range of stakeholders, including ministers, parliamentarians, UN agencies, the African Union Commission, the African Development Bank, regional bodies, civil society, academia, the private sector, youth groups, and faith-based organisations.
Participants expressed concern that Africa remains off track in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with progress slowing on 12 goals and reversing on five. Key challenges identified include limited access to clean water and sanitation, energy poverty affecting around 600 million people, weak industrial growth, rapid urbanisation, rising debt levels, and a massive annual financing gap estimated at between $670 billion and $848 billion.
The declaration calls for urgent action in five priority areas ahead of the 2026 SDG review: clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, industry and infrastructure, sustainable cities, and global partnerships.
On water and sanitation, African ministers stressed stronger governance, increased investment, ecosystem protection, and recognition of water as a driver of jobs, health, and peacebuilding.
In the energy sector, the declaration pushes for expanded investment in renewable energy, clean cooking solutions, regional power systems, and digital energy innovations to improve access and affordability.
For industry and infrastructure, countries are urged to embrace emerging trends such as artificial intelligence, digital transformation, green technologies, and the African Continental Free Trade Area to strengthen regional value chains and industrial growth.
Urban development was also highlighted, with calls to transform cities into engines of inclusive growth through improved housing, slum upgrading, resilient infrastructure, and safer urban planning.
On financing, ministers demanded reforms to the global financial system, stronger domestic resource mobilisation, development of local capital markets, expanded blended finance, debt sustainability measures, and the creation of an African credit rating agency to reduce borrowing costs.
The Addis Ababa Declaration will feed into major global processes including the 2026 UN High-Level Political Forum, the UN Water Conference, and COP32, which Ethiopia is set to host.
Looking beyond 2030, participants called for a new global development framework aligned with Africa’s Agenda 2063, stronger accountability systems, broader development indicators beyond GDP, and increased investment in technology, trade, and capacity-building.
Youth, women, and vulnerable groups were identified as key drivers of transformation, with calls for greater inclusion, access to finance, and skills development.
The forum was jointly organised by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, the African Union Commission, the African Development Bank, and other UN partners.
