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Africa’s Development Dynamics 2021

Digital Transformation for Quality Jobs

image of Africa’s Development Dynamics 2021

Africa’s Development Dynamics uses lessons learned in the continent’s five regions – Central, East, North, Southern and West Africa – to develop policy recommendations and share good practices. Drawing on the most recent statistics, this analysis of development dynamics attempts to help African leaders reach the targets of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 at all levels: continental, regional, national and local.

The 2021 edition, now published at the beginning of the year, explores how digitalisation can create quality jobs and contribute to achieving Agenda 2063, thereby making African economies more resilient to the global recession triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. The report targets four main policy areas for Africa’s digital transformation: bridging the digital divide; supporting local innovation; empowering own-account workers; and harmonising, implementing and monitoring digital strategies. This edition includes a new chapter examining how to finance Africa’s development despite the 2020 global economic crisis.

Africa’s Development Dynamics feeds into a policy debate between the African Union’s governments, citizens, entrepreneurs and researchers. It aims to be part of a new collaboration between countries and regions, which focuses on mutual learning and the preservation of common goods. This report results from a partnership between the African Union Commission and the OECD Development Centre.

English Also available in: French, Portuguese

Overview: Priorities to make digitalisation work for all in Africa

The economic recession triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic is hitting African countries hard. Most of them are facing their first recession in 25 years: gross domestic product (GDP) growth will likely decrease in 41 of the 54 countries in 2020, according to an International Monetary Fund forecast (October 2020). By contrast, when the global financial crisis hit the continent in 2009, only 11 countries went into recession. The crisis has affected Africa’s growth through various external and domestic channels (). For example, the plunge in oil prices in the first quarter of 2020 has severely struck commodity-based economies. The shutdown of the global tourism industry, which employs 24.3 million people on the continent, has harshly affected tourism-dependent countries. Domestic demand and regional trade have suffered from confinement measures. At least 42 countries have imposed partial or full lockdowns on economic activities and the movements of people (UNECA, 2020). The crisis has also led to the postponement of the implementation phase of the African Continental Free Trade Area until 2021.

English Also available in: Portuguese, French

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