Foresight Africa: Top priorities for Africa in 2022

With the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, the world is eager to return to normal. However, the complexity of the challenges Africa was already facing—including poor infrastructure, high youth unemployment, rapidly increasing debt, and climate change—means that the region’s recovery is likely to be uneven and far behind much of the rest of the world. Moreover, of its 1.3 billion people, less than 8 percent of Africans have been fully vaccinated.

Despite these obstacles, the region’s future remains bright: Its innovative youth are creating and utilizing technologies to improve livelihoods throughout the region, and leaders are using the economic recovery to rethink and reset development strategies instead of returning to the status quo. At the same time, Africa’s women and girls have emerged as influential and aspirational leaders not only within the continent, but for the world. Also, Africa is actively looking to leverage its collective power and impressive growth potential to collaborate with emerging external partners.

In this way, this year’s Foresight Africa report examines the most pressing issues facing the region in 2022. This year’s panel featured high-level global experts to discuss critical issues for the region’s recovery, including policies for economic recovery, shoring up Africa’s public health systems, empowering African women and girls, addressing the impacts of climate change, harnessing technology for improved livelihoods, and exploring partnerships with emerging global players.

After the program, the panel took audience questions. Viewers submitted questions for the panel by emailing events@brookings.edu or via Twitter @BrookingsGlobal by using #ForesightAfrica.