PURPOSE: Within the framework of the Second Industrial Development Decade for Africa (1991-2000), the United Nations General Assembly, in 1989, proclaimed 20 November “Africa Industrialization Day”. Since then, the United Nations System has held events on that day throughout the world to raise awareness about the importance of Africa’s industrialization and the challenges faced by the continent. Across Africa, green industries are expanding — powered to a great extent by the ingenuity and entrepreneurship of women and youth. At the same time, the African Continental Free Trade Area is opening a new era of opportunity — creating a unified market and laying the foundations for sustainable supply chains and shared prosperity across the region. Yet challenges remain. Climate change, mounting debt, and food and energy insecurity all pose threats to Africa’s growth.

FORUM: "Transforming Africa’s Economy through Sustainable Industrialization, Regional Integration, and Innovation." Africa Industrialization Day 2025. This year’s theme will highlight the urgent need for an industrial future that is both green and digitally connected. Sustainable industrialization, regional integration and innovation, a focus key thematic Week’s policy discussion area, aligns with key AU continental industrialization policy frameworks. The Action Plan for Accelerated Industrial Development of Africa (AIDA) and Industrial Development Decades for Africa (IDDA III) emphasize sustainable industrialization and economic diversification. On the other hand, it aligns with the AfCFTA Protocols on promoting regional integration, trade, and industrial development. In this regard, the 2025 AIW week’s long policy debate will advance innovative thoughts on how the continent can harness its vast and abundant natural resources, promote economic growth, and create jobs. Regional integration, facilitated by AfCFTA, enables the creation of larger markets, increasing competitiveness and attracting investments. Innovation is a crucial driver of productivity, entrepreneurship, and technological advancement. By integrating and embracing these concepts, Africa can accelerate its industrialization journey, achieve structural & productive transformations and sustainable economic development, as envisioned in the AU's Agenda 2063, particularly, on aspirations One: Sustainable development and economic diversification, and goals 4: “Transformed Economies”. This convergence can propel Africa's economic growth. Follow the conversation with the hashtags: #sustainableindustralization, #AccelerateafricasIndustrialization, #AIW2025, #integratedmarket, #AfricaIndustrializationDay, #Industrialization, #20november, #AfricaIndustrialization, #AfricaIndustrializationWeek, #IndustrializingAfrica.

EVENTS: At UNHQ; On November 20th, from  1:15 – 2:15 pm (EST) a virtual event jointly organized by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the African Union Economic Development, Tourism, Trade, Industry, Mining (ETTIM), the African Union (AU) Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations to mark the Africa Industrialization Day 2025 will be held at the Permanent Observer Mission of the African Union to the United Nations. The event will bring together representatives of African states, other Member States, regional entities, and partner organizations of the UN system supporting Africa’s sustainable development. Watch the AID2025 Livestream!

From November 17th –21st, 2025 at Kampala Uganda, the.2025 African Industrialization Week (AIW 2025), the 4th AWIP Forum and 1st African Youth Starts-UpForum for 2025 will take place. The African Union Commission (AUC), in collaboration with the United Nations IndustrialDevelopment Organization (UNIDO), United Nations Economic Commission for Africa(UNECA), African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for Africa's Development (AUDA-NEPAD), and the Afro-Champions Initiative, will host the 2025 AIW which will take place from 17th to 21st November 2025 and will be held under the theme: “Transforming Africa’s Economy through Sustainable Industrialization, Regional Integration and Innovation”. The events of the week are designed to bring together key stakeholders for comprehensive multi-stakeholder dialogue. The 2025 Africa Industrialization Week edition will further leverage the creative potential of the African youth startups to drive economic growth and development, a forum aimed at highlighting the innovative Youth Start-ups enterprises across the continent. These three events envisioned to promote sustainable industrialization, innovation, and regional integration, to drive Africa's economic development. The overall objective emphasizes building synergies between policy models, investments, innovation, and capacity building of youth starts-ups across sectors to transform Africa's economy through sustainable industrialization, regional integration, and innovation, targeting at driving economic growth and development. The following are the specific objectives: i. To promote sustainable industrialization amongst the AU Member States for adoption by identifying and showcasing policy models and best practices that can be replicated across Africa. ii. To foster regional integration by strengthening inter AU member state and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) coordination on industrial development. iii. To provide a platform for the African Youth Startups and Women led enterprises for networking and access to investment opportunities. iv. To encourage the development of industrial infrastructure through policy discussion and agreement on strategies that support industrial growth and regional integration. v. To enhance policy recommendations and continental regulatory industrial policy frameworks such as AIDA and IDDA III, and guidelines for promoting sustainable industrialization, regional integration, and innovation in Africa.  The expected outcomes are:  i. Replicable sustainable industrialization policy models and best practices are identified and showcased for African Union member states. ii. Strengthened Inter AU member state and REC coordination on industrialization iii. Intra-African trade and investment in industrial sectors are increased especially among women and the youth. iv. Industrial policy strategies for industrial infrastructure development identified to support industrial growth and regional integration. v. Actionable policy recommendations and guidelines for promoting sustainable industrialization, regional integration, and promoting innovations in Africa identified. The AIW2025 will draw participants among others from African Union member states, Regional Economic Communities; UN agencies; Regional and International Development Finance Institutions; representatives of the private sector, civil society, Youth start-Ups, African Women in Processing involved in the industrialization agenda in the continent. Inclusion of women and youth start-ups ensures that the future leaders and innovators get a chance to voice their creative ideas and get invaluable exposure, as well as for achieving gender parity in industry and promoting women empowerment. The week will have several events led by different organizations and these will include high-level event which will be marked by speeches from dignitaries on Africaindustrialization Day. It will also have side events which will include presentations, Panel discussions on topical issues that will contribute to realizing the objectives. Apart from these, Youth and women will exhibit their value added products and innovations to potential buyers and investors.  Register to participate!

From November 18th to 20th, 2025 at the Munyonyo Speke Resort Hotel in Kampala, Uganda, the Africa Youth Startups Forum (AYSF 2025) entitled “Igniting Youth Innovation: AI, Fintech, and ProductDevelopment for Africa’s Industrial Transformation” will be held.

Day One: Tuesday, 18th November 2025, we will Focus on Showcasing Youth Innovations & Unlocking Finance. Day Two: Wednesday, 19th November 2025, we will Focus on Deal-making, Mentoring and Clinics. Day Three: Thursday, 20th November 2025 we will Focus on AID Day & Recognition of Youth Innovations.

PUBLICATIONS: Africa’s Green Mineral Strategy. Africa must seize the moment to develop its battery industry, electric vehicle supply chains, and renewable energy infrastructure. Read the full strategy!

The 2024 African Economic Outlook “Driving Africa’s Transformation: The Reform of the Global Financial Architecture.” Despite strong economic performance and remarkable resilience, structural transformation in Africa has been slow and uneven, and addressing this will require calling bold reforms of the global financial architecture to meet Africa’s development financing needs. The African Economic Outlook 2024 is being published as African countries continue to contend with significant structural challenges and multiple severe shocks, including heightened food and energy prices driven by geopolitical tensions such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine, climate issues affecting agriculture and energy production, and persistent political instability. This challenging environment has led to a slowdown in Africa's real GDP growth, which dropped to 3.1 percent in 2023 from 4.1 percent in 2022. Looking forward, however, the economic outlook is more positive, with growth expected to increase to 3.7 percent in 2024 and 4.3 percent in 2025, highlighting the strong resilience of African economies. This growth rebound will be underpinned by expected improvements in global economic conditions and effective policy measures. With these outturns, Africa will remain the second-fastest growing region globally, with 40 countries set to achieve post higher growth rates relative to 2023 levels. Despite these positive trends, Africa still faces challenges in achieving sustainable economic and social transformation. Historical growth rates have been insufficient to offset population increases, leading to minimal gains in per capita GDP. Structural transformation has been limited, with economies heavily reliant on traditional, low-productivity sectors like agriculture or low-skilled services for growth and employment. To achieve substantial structural transformation, Africa needs to focus on strategic investments in key Sustainable Development Goal areas such as education, energy, productivity-enhancing technology and innovation, and productive transport infrastructure. The financing gap for these investments is vast, estimated at about US$402 billion annually until 2030, and will require scaling up domestic resource mobilization and fostering private sector investment. However, given the enormity of resources, scaling up external financial flows as complementary sources of financing is crucial. In that respect, the report underscores the urgency to reform the global financial architecture to facilitate fair, sustainable, and inclusive resource allocation, essential for financing Africa's development goals. Download the main report and the Country note.

Green Growth/Green Industrialisation in Africa: Rationale, Strategies and Challenges. Economic growth is essential in Africa to alleviate poverty, build livelihoods and improve quality of life. In recent years, the continent has experienced improving macro-economic trends and increasing foreign direct investment. Read the full report!

The Growing green: Enablers and Barriers for Africa report shows that the square of GDP per capita, trade-embodied R&D, and domestic R&D are enablers of green productivity growth, while low levels of GDP per capita and energy constitute barriers to green productivity growth.. Read the full report!

STATEMENT: Read the Statement of the United Nations Secretary-General for Africa Industrialization Day 2025; November 20th and the Join statement of the African Union for the celebration of Africa Industrialization Day 2025.