African policymakers and development partners have underscored the need for stronger leadership and fiscal reforms that go beyond policy making to actual implementation.
Speaking on Thursday afternoon during a press briefing, the President of the African Leadership Excellence Academy (AFLEX) Zadig Abreha highlighted the need for Africa to invest in innovation and Artificial Intelligence as it is the future.
The briefing comes ahead of the 11th Africa Think Tank Summit slated to take place 8th-10th October, 2025.
According to Abreha, the theme of the Summit “From Taxation to Action:
Bridging Policy and Implementation in Public Financial Management (PFM) in Africa”, speaks directly to Africa’s long time challenge of not just designing good policies but ensuring they are implemented effectively and with sustainability.
“The Summit will provide a powerful platform to highlight how leadership is central to Africa’s physical future, and particularly excited about the programs used in driving innovation.” He noted.
Abreha said: “Africa stands at a unique moment in history where technology has reshaped global competition.”
Adding that: “The race is no longer country against country it is humanity against the machine.”
Similarly, he noted that technological advancement, particularly artificial intelligence, is disrupting traditional growth models challenging African leaders to invest in youth, innovation, and leadership capacity to seize what he described as a “once-in-a-thousand-year opportunity.”
Abreha remarked that Africans need to strengthen intellectual establishment and produce knowledge about the future calling on scholars to play a pivotal role in making it happen.
“Igniting a continent-wide discussion is vital. If we catch up now, this is a good opportunity but we must fight to make sure we accomplish it. As Africans, we need to strengthen our intellectual establishment, produce knowledge about the future, publish books, mentor masters, and bring together our intellectuals and scholars. They must play a pivotal role in making this happen,” Abreha said.
On his part the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), Executive Secretary Mamadou Biteye emphasized the importance of turning dialogue into concrete outcomes.
“Knowledge without implementation has little impact,” Biteye said, adding that this year’s Summit will launch new initiatives such as the Africa Think Tank Platform Project, a book on African think tanks, and practical training programs to strengthen fiscal management capacity across the continent.
Additionally, Biteye underscored the critical role research institutions play in Africa’s development journey.
“Think tanks are research-oriented institutions, designed to study development issues and support evidence-based solutions. They enable adaptive management of programs and provide tailored support to policymakers,” added Biteye.
He said Africa is home to more than 1,200 think tanks across Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Ethiopia representing 8–10 percent of the world’s total.
The ACBF, which has been instrumental in strengthening Africa’s policy and institutional capacities, sees think tanks as catalysts for action. “They generate evidence, monitor reforms, and provide solutions tailored to Africa’s realities,” he noted.
The Summit, convened in partnership with the African Union Commission, the African Leadership Excellence Academy, and the Government of Ethiopia, will gather policymakers, scholars, and development partners to discuss practical pathways for fiscal transformation.
The two leaders urged to play an active role in amplifying the Summit’s outcomes beyond speeches and communiqués. “This Summit must be remembered not for the words spoken, but for the actions taken and results achieved,” the ACBF representative stressed.
As Africa prepares for an uncertain but opportunity-filled future shaped by technology and shifting global financial systems, leaders at the Summit agreed that investing in leadership, strong institutions, and innovation will be essential for ensuring the continent is ready for the challenges of tomorrow.
