The Africa Prosperity Network (APN) has confirmed that over 3,000 delegates from more than 46 countries worldwide will converge at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) for the 2025 edition of the Africa Prosperity Dialogues (APD), scheduled to take place from Thursday, 30 January to Saturday, 1 February 2025.
This landmark gathering will feature seven confirmed African Heads of State, reinforcing the event’s significance as a premier platform for advancing Africa’s economic integration and prosperity agenda.
This announcement was made during the APN and the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) hybrid press conference for the 2025 APD, held at the AfCFTA conference room, Accra, on Monday, 27 January 2025.
The APD 2025, hosted by the Africa Prosperity Network (APN) in collaboration with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, this year’s conference will centre on the theme: “Delivering the African Single Market Through Infrastructure: Invest, Connect, Integrate.” The dialogues aim to galvanise public and private-sector stakeholders to accelerate infrastructure investments and integration, critical to realising Africa’s vision of a single, interconnected continental market.
Magnitude and Key Partnerships
In his welcome address, Sidig Faroug Eltoum, Chief Executive Officer of the Africa Prosperity Network (APN) Secretariat, emphasised the event’s magnitude.
“This year’s dialogues will be unprecedented in scope, with participation from diverse global players and leadership. Having over 3,000 delegates and seven Heads of State join us in Accra highlights the immense interest in advancing Africa’s economic prospects through strategic infrastructure investments,” he stated.
Mr ElToum extended gratitude to APN partners for their role in the success of the APD. “We thank the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat for walking with us on this journey toward prosperity. We treasure the partnerships we have established with numerous actors. We also deeply appreciate the Ghanaian people for their warm hospitality, which has been instrumental in hosting this event successfully,” he stated.
Lauding the media’s pivotal role in advancing the goals of the African Prosperity Dialogues (APD), Mr Eltoum said: “We treasure and value our partnership with the media, and we sincerely thank them for their contributions [which] have materialised into a clearer and more influential role in shaping the dialogue itself, and we look forward to strengthening this collaboration”
Infrastructure
Chief of Staff at the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, Mr Rui Pedro Afonso Livramento, underscored the critical role of infrastructure in achieving the vision of a fully integrated African single market. He reaffirmed the Secretariat’s commitment to fostering collaborations to address infrastructure deficits that continue to impede intra-African trade.
“The AfCFTA has made significant strides since its inception, including establishing a solid institutional framework and recording growth in trade under the Guided Trade Initiative,” he said. “However, infrastructure remains a critical bottleneck. Inefficient transport and logistics add 30 to 40 per cent to intra-African trade costs, particularly affecting small and medium enterprises (SMEs).”
Progress and Collaboration
Mr Livramento highlighted that to address these challenges, the AfCFTA Secretariat has championed the establishment of trade aggregators to integrate SMEs into continental value chains. He commended countries such as China, Egypt, Kenya, and South Africa for leading efforts in this regard. He called for stronger partnerships among governments, private-sector actors, and development partners to create an enabling environment for infrastructure development.
He said the theme “Delivering African Single Market Through Infrastructure: Invest, Connect, Integrate” by the 2025 African Prosperity Dialogues aims to underscore the importance of infrastructure development in realising the continent’s ambitious economic goals.
“This theme emphasises the crucial role of infrastructure in enabling the free movement of products, services, and investments across borders,” Mr Livramento said. “Infrastructure modernisation, enhanced connectivity, and digital innovation will be fundamental to unlocking the transformative potential of the AfCFTA.” He expressed optimism that the 2025 edition of the APD would generate valuable insights and build momentum to accelerate the AfCFTA’s implementation.
High-powered delegations
Stephanie Diatta, Chief of Partnerships and International Relations at the APN Secretariat outlined plans for the upcoming African Prosperity Dialogues (APD) 2025. She said that the event will bring together representatives from 46 countries, with seven heads of state already confirming their attendance. She emphasised that this diverse and influential assembly will focus on strategic solutions aimed at transforming Africa’s borders into bridges of economic integration and opportunity.
The dialogues will be graced by prominent personalities, including Mesfin Tasew, the Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, whose visionary leadership has elevated African aviation to the global stage. Other confirmed dignitaries include Ambassador Bridget Motsepe, a renowned advocate for economic empowerment in Africa; Dr Abdulhamid Al Khalifa, President of the OPEC Fund; and Dr Sidi Ould Tah, President of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA). Also attending are Dr Amany Asfour, President of the Africa Business Council, and Moh Damush, CEO of Telecel Group. Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the APN Advisory Council, and H.E. Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, will play key roles in the discussions.
Breakfast meeting
Tonisha Tagoe, Lead of Breakfast Meetings at the APN Secretariat, expressed great enthusiasm as she shared exciting developments around the Africa Prosperity Dialogues 2025, particularly the expanded breakfast meeting series.
Due to their importance, these meetings, typically side events, will have dedicated programming on the morning of day 1, scheduled for 30 January 2025, from 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM. The breakfast meetings will provide a platform for vital discussions on Africa’s most pressing issues, with the goal of shaping strategies that will influence the continent’s future.
The six distinct sessions planned for the breakfast meetings will cover topics crucial for Africa’s long-term prosperity, including female entrepreneurship, housing, payments, youth empowerment, public-private partnerships, and venture capital and private equity.
APN
The Africa Prosperity Network (APN) is a private non-profit organisation founded to advance the vision of “Africa We Want,” as outlined in the African Union’s Agenda 2063. It strives to promote Africa’s progress, independent of external aid. Africa Prosperity Dialogues (APD)
The Africa Prosperity Dialogues series offers a strategic platform where movers and shakers across Africa elevate the continent’s economic integration objectives from ambition to real action.
Set in Accra, the APD is a one-of-a-kind event where African leaders from diverse areas of national endeavour gather each year to expedite, among other things, the implementation of the agreed initiatives within the AfCFTA trade bloc and shape the Africa Agenda for Action.
APD 2025
APD brings the continent’s critical challenges and industrialisation priorities into practical focus and aggressively advances the commercial and infrastructural interventions to achieve the vision of an Africa Beyond Aid.
Day One (30 January) will commence with the opening of the ProJet Afrique Exhibition, official side events, and the opening ceremony of APD 2025, featuring international dignitaries. Key discussions by renowned experts will be on infrastructure funding, transport, and logistics for free movement across Africa.
The day concludes with a Welcome Reception at the prestigious Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City, Accra. Day Two (31 January) focuses on crucial topics, including sustainable energy solutions, digital infrastructure, manufacturing capacity, STEM education, healthcare systems, and sustainable urban development.
Day Two will also have an open forum with contributions from all participants on the theme. These sessions will form the foundation for the summit’s outcome document with recommendations.
The final day (1 February) marks the High-Level Heads of State and Business Leaders’ Dialogue, culminating in a Presidential Roundtable discussion on policy frameworks for private sector participation in building Africa’s single market.
At least six heads of state have confirmed their participation. The day will feature two significant fireside conversations on BADEA’s US$50 billion Investment Fund and with one of Africa’s most celebrated industrialists.
The summit concludes on the night of the third day with the prestigious Africa Prosperity Champions Awards and Presidential Gala Dinner at Kempinski Hotel, Accra, honouring individuals and organisations for their distinguished contributions to Africa’s prosperity and integration.
The black-tie gala dinner will celebrate achievements that inspire the continent’s progress toward its 2063 vision of building the Africa we want.
 hybrid press conference for the 2025 APD, held at the AfCFTA conference room, Accra, on Monday, 27 January 2025.){kind=link}