ECA Policy Brief - Issue 08

Africa’s industrialization imperative

African countries are facing the key challenge of designing and implementing effective policies to promote industrialization and economic transformation at a critical juncture in their development trajectory. The global shift in production and trade patterns, the emergence of new growth poles in the south, the revolution in information and communication technology, changes in demography and rapid urbanization have all led to significant shifts in the global economic and geopolitical landscape. Those changes present African countries with unprecedented opportunities to embark on a bold agenda that will transform the continent and see it emerge as a global economic power.