This 2026 Africa Sustainable Development Report is released as African countries advance through the final phase of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development while continuing implementation of the African Union’s Agenda 2063. This progress is taking place within a global environment characterized by persistent uncertainty, fragmented economic governance, and mounting climate, fiscal, and demographic pressures - all of which shape the pace and trajectory of development outcomes across the continent. The instability in the Middle East has amplified energy and food price volatility, disrupted trade routes, and heightened global uncertainty, with direct spillover effects on African economies. While recent years have required sustained responses to overlapping shocks, the central challenge now is to move beyond crisis management towards transformative, coordinated, and forward-looking action capable of sustaining development progress over the medium to long term.

Chapter 1:

Regional overview

 

Chapter 2: SDG 6

Clean water and sanitation

 

Chapter 3: SDG 7

Affordable and clean energy

 

Chapter 4: SDG 9

Industry, innovation and infrastructure