African policymakers and economists at the 2026 African Economic Conference, concluded in Côte d’Ivoire, called for faster trade integration, stronger regional value chains and coordinated economic policies to shield the continent from mounting geopolitical and economic risks.
The three-day conference, jointly organized by the African Development Bank Group, the United Nations Development Programme and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, brought together economists, researchers and policymakers to examine how Africa can strengthen its geopolitical influence and economic resilience amid growing global fragmentation.
Raymond Gilpin, Chief Economist and Head of the Strategy, Analysis and Research Team at UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Africa, said at the conference’s closing ceremony, that, “Global economic storms will continue to test African institutions, but they can never erode the fundamental wealth and resilience of Africa’s people. With the strong partnership among our institutions, let us continue to combine our efforts and move forward together with urgency, clarity and determination to build the resilient and prosperous Africa we deserve, because that is the Africa the world needs.”
Participants said Africa’s ability to strengthen trade resilience will depend on adopting more integrated approaches to policymaking that reflect the growing links between trade, debt, investment and climate finance.
“Our analytical frameworks must now adapt to the reality and uncertainty in which we live. Trade, debt, investment, fiscal policy, climate action and development finance are becoming increasingly interconnected. Yet we often continue to analyze them separately. The complexity of today’s policy challenges calls for more integrated analysis that reflects the real choices policymakers face. Data matters, and we all agree on that. It matters even more when it is shared to support better decision-making,” Ida McDonnell, Senior Policy Advisor on Development Policy, Finance and Performance at the OECD, said.
Marie-Laure Akin Olugbade, Senior Vice President of the African Development Bank Group, representing President Sidi Ould Tah, said the conference had generated policy recommendations that could help governments strengthen Africa’s position in an increasingly multipolar global economy.
“I am confident that policymakers and development partners will draw on these discussions to guide their future actions. The exchanges we have had provide an essential foundation for the policies and partnerships needed to strengthen Africa’s geopolitical agency and enhance its trade resilience,” Akin Olugbade said.
Ahunna Eziakonwa, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa, urged governments and development partners to translate the conference’s discussions into concrete action.
“The lasting impact of these past days will be determined by what we do next: remove barriers to trade, invest in African enterprise and innovation, strengthen regional value chains, and equip our young people to compete in a changing global economy. In a multipolar world, Africa’s greatest leverage will not come from choosing sides, but from building its own economic strength,” she said.
The conference also hosted the annual meeting of the Global Network of Chief Economists of Development and Financing Institutions and marked the launch of the African Chief Economists Network, an initiative aimed at strengthening collaboration among the continent’s leading economic advisers and improving evidence-based policymaking.
