Africa’s middle income countries (MICs) are a diverse group, but they face common challenges with each other and with MICs from other regions in striving to reach sustainable development goals (SDGs) and improve living standards of their populations.1 In 2023, 29 out of 54 African countries were classified as MICs, with only 7 in the upper middle-income group. Since the early 2000s, today’s MICs have made significant contributions to the continent’s economic and social progress and exhibited resilience amid cascading crises. However, halfway towards 2030, most MICs struggle to reach SDG, including SDG 1, eradicating poverty. In 2022, 40% of the Africa’s extremely poor population (almost 200 million people) resided in its MICs. Globally, more than 1/3 (282 million) of the people affected by hunger were in Africa.

Concept Note [French] [Arabic]