Briefing Paper

African Futures: Key Trends to 2035

Africa is undergoing several major transitions, including demographic, economic, technological, urban and socio-political. These transitions are all connected, and together they will shape the future of the continent. Looking to the future, Africa’s overall story reveals a positive trend. Yet this trend is neither stable nor even. Things are getting better in some places, but not everywhere, not for everybody. Several major transitions are shaping Africa’s future. Demographic change will be accompanied by economic, technological, urban and socio-political transformation with far-reaching implications for growth, human development and stability on the continent. This policy brief summarizes the findings from a more comprehensive report exploring how development trends are likely to
unfold in Africa until 2035.