https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Least_developed_countries
https://www.ispionline.it/en/publication/end-of-a-cycle-south-africas-g20-presidency-and-the-future-of-global-cooperation-215454
In 2025, Africa faces challenges including low GDP
levels, poverty, hunger malnutrition, high debt distress, youth
unemployment, and poor foundational learning outcomes, even as the continent
experiences resilient economic growth projected to be between 3.7% and 4.1%.
Other significant issues include political unrest, terrorism, cybersecurity
threats, and climate change impacts, alongside the need to improve the quality
and accessibility of education and the need to create sufficient jobs for a
young population.
Economic challenges
In 2025, Africa accounts for
approximately 18.8% of the global population, while its share of global
trade is significantly lower, estimated at around 2-3%. This
disparity highlights the large and growing population on the continent compared
to its relatively small contribution to global trade. Africa is,
likewise, projected to account for only 2.46% of the world's nominal
GDP in 2025 and 5.64% of the global GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity (PPP).
AfCFTA: While
the African
Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) aims to boost regional
integration, its full implementation is necessary to help address other key
challenges like energy access, food security, and industrialization.
Intra-Africa trade remains low in 2025, largely
due to persistent challenges like weak infrastructure and the slow pace
of African
Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) implementation, though
progress is being made. Despite historical low rates (around 18% in 2022), the
AfCFTA offers a framework for growth by aiming to unite the continent's
economies. Key issues holding back trade include infrastructure deficits,
geopolitical instability, and the need for more formalized cross-border
transactions, even as initiatives like the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) work
to accelerate progress.
See https://mcbgroup.com/think/article/trade-report-2025-intra-trade
https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/africa-population/
Debt: The number
of sub-Saharan African countries in or at high risk of debt distress nearly
tripled from 2014 to 2025, with external debt service costs rising
significantly.
Unemployment: Despite
economic growth, the pace is insufficient to create enough quality jobs for a
rapidly growing young workforce, contributing to high unemployment and
underemployment rates.
Inflation: While
double-digit inflation has fallen sharply, it remains a concern, and external
factors like global trade policy uncertainty and declining investor appetite
pose risks.
Social and environmental challenges
Education: A
major challenge is the low level of foundational learning, with only 10.8% of
children achieving the minimum proficiency in reading and math by the end of
primary school.
Peace and Security: The
continent faces ongoing security crises, including increased political unrest
and terrorism, especially in the Central Sahel region.
Climate Change: Climate
change is a major risk, particularly for the agriculture and forestry sectors.
Inequality: Income
inequality remains a challenge, with wealth concentrated in the hands of a few.
Cybersecurity: Cybersecurity
is identified as the top risk area by businesses in 2025, with 64% of
respondents listing it among their top risks.
Institutional and governance challenges
Weak Institutions: Weak
institutions continue to hinder development across the continent.
https://www.afsic.net/challenges-faced-by-african-countries-today/
https://www.jaynevytours.com/why-africa-is-still-poor.html?srsltid=AfmBOopMTGA__b6tuHv76fRnGWsguQiHV9ENTOkCmPi8mq_2NjA8mK69
https://acleddata.com/update/africa-overview-september-2025
https://africarelief.org/blogs/current-issues-in-africa
https://we.hse.ru/mirror/pubs/share/998626243.pdf
https://www.ispionline.it/en/research/africa
Poverty (both extreme and moderate) affects some
regions much more than others. In fact, in 2024, while the extreme poverty rate
for Sub-Saharan Africa reached 46.0 per cent, it was under 1 per cent for
Europe and Central Asia and North America. Using the higher poverty line of
$8.3 per day, in 2024, the vast majority of people in Sub-Saharan Africa (89.0
per cent) lived in poverty.
Indeed, while Sub-Saharan Africa constituted in 2024
only 15.9 per cent of the world’s population, it was home to 70.7 per cent of
the world’s extremely poor population, and 30.5 per cent of the world’s
population living on less than $8.3 per day.
From https://ilostat.ilo.org/those-left-behind-the-forgotten-in-the-fight-against-global-poverty/
https://www.dw.com/en/un-warns-of-rising-hunger-across-africa/a-73454420
https://www.who.int/news/item/28-07-2025-global-hunger-declines-but-rises-in-africa-and-western-asia-un-report
https://www.unicef.org/esa/press-releases/13-million-children-malnourished-eastern-and-southern-africa-2025
https://www.humanium.org/en/millions-of-children-at-risk-of-missing-school-as-the-2025-academic-year-begins/
https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/06/16/africa-insufficient-domestic-funding-hinders-education-progress
https://www.unicef.org/wca/press-releases/education-under-crisis-school-closures-nearly-double-five-years-west-and-central
https://www.ecofinagency.com/news-services/2710-49873-africa-s-youth-jobless-rate-beats-europe-s-but-most-jobs-remain-precarious
https://www.africanleadershipmagazine.co.uk/africas-brain-drain-the-true-cost-of-talent-migration/?q=merck-foundation-chief-executive-officer-ceo-together-with-african-first-ladies-africa-mark-world-health-day-2025-by-providing-over-2250-scholarships-to-doctors-across-africa-and-beyond&pr=337112&lang=fr
https://accessh.org/opinions/the-future-of-healthcare-in-africa-challenges-and-opportunities/
https://www.chathamhouse.org/2025/10/africa-after-usaid-who-will-pay-health-bill
https://thedocs.worldbank.org/en/doc/75b7a7306a5eb1adb3fc93683ffe55b9-0360012024/original/Challenges-and-0Opportunities-in-Africas-Health-Sector-090424-jp.pdf
https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/multiple-disease-outbreaks-heighten-public-health-emergencies-children-across
https://reliefweb.int/report/world/africas-inequality-crisis-and-rise-super-rich
https://www.ihrda.org/2025/09/gender-equality-and-womens-rights-in-africa-progress-challenges-and-the-way-forward/
https://www.downtoearth.org.in/africa/state-of-africas-environment-2025-climate-change-will-cast-a-long-shadow-on-food-security-in-the-continent
https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/05/1163126
https://africacenter.org/spotlight/migration-trends-2025/
https://www.esteri.it/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/EU-AFRICA_ISPI-report-2025_FINAL-WEB.pdf
https://sihma.org.za/Blog-on-the-move/african-migration-trends-q2-2025-regional-dynamics-and-global-implications?lang=en
https://www.unhcr.org/sites/default/files/2025-06/west-central-africa-regional-trends-forced-displacement-2025.pdf
https://www.unhcr.org/emergencies/sahel-emergency
https://www.visionofhumanity.org/sub-saharan-africas-rising-peace-challenges/
https://africacenter.org/spotlight/mig2025-militant-islamist-groups-in-africa/
https://futures.issafrica.org/blog/2025/African-Conflict-in-2025
https://www.ispionline.it/en/publication/grey-rhino-2025-the-sahel-194931
Economic situation, growth, commodity dependence and
China’s influence
https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2025/10/07/sub-saharan-africa-maintains-resilient-growth-but-faces-urgent-jobs-challenge
https://www.imf.org/en/publications/reo/ssa/issues/2025/10/16/regional-economic-outlook-for-sub-saharan-africa-october-2025
https://www.africanleadershipcentre.org/alc-radio-1/blog-post-title-two-e7pyc-a5tdt-j53d5-8x7y7-j8h2z
https://www.gtreview.com/news/africa/decline-in-project-finance-worsening-african-commodity-dependence-reports-find/
https://africacenter.org/spotlight/africa-china-relations-2025/
https://atlasinstitute.org/the-new-scramble-for-africa-the-great-power-competition-for-the-continent/
The EU, Italy and Africa
https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/policies/global-gateway/initiatives-sub-saharan-africa/eu-africa-global-gateway-investment-package_en
https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/news-and-events/news/global-gateway-africa-european-union-and-african-union-take-stock-significant-progress-2025-05-21_en
https://www.eunews.it/en/2025/10/09/von-der-leyen-global-gateway-better-than-expected-now-a-platform-for-business/
https://www.governo.it/it/piano-mattei
see the page links on the right
https://decode39.com/11318/the-mattei-plan-in-2025-strategic-depth-and-evolving-implementation/
https://www.governo.it/en/articolo/president-meloni-s-video-message-european-parliament-mattei-plan-africa-and-global-0
