The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, has called for increased investment in Africa to accelerate industrialisation, strengthen regional value chains and promote sustainable economic development across the continent.
He made the call during the Global Africa Business Initiative, GABI, high-level event, “Unstoppable Africa 2026: Powering Business, Scaling Economies, Shaping the Future,” held on the margins of the 81st United Nations General Assembly.
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The event also featured the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, and brought together Heads of State and Government, business leaders, investors and innovators to discuss Africa’s economic prospects.
In his keynote address, Mr. Youssouf said Africa possesses enormous opportunities, including abundant natural resources, a youthful population and a market of about 1.5 billion people.
He said Africa’s ambition must match its economic potential, stressing the need for the continent to move beyond the export of raw materials and accelerate industrial transformation.
The AU Commission Chairperson said stronger African value chains were necessary to enable countries to retain more value and wealth from the continent’s resources.
He noted that removing tariff and non-tariff barriers through the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA, was essential but insufficient.
According to him, Africa must move from market access to market power, fragmented trade hubs to an integrated continental market, and from exporting resources to adding value within Africa.
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Mr. Youssouf identified affordable and reliable energy, quality infrastructure, skills, technology, access to capital, effective standards and certification as key requirements for Africa’s transformation.
He also called for better mobilisation of Africa’s financial resources, including savings, bank deposits, insurance and pension funds, to support productive investments across the continent.
The AU Commission Chairperson further advocated accelerated development of regional and continental transport and economic corridors to improve connectivity and boost intra-African trade.
He said a conducive investment climate, supported by sound institutions, effective regulation and good governance, was also essential for sustainable economic growth.
Mr. Youssouf stressed that peace and stability remain fundamental to investment and development, noting that the African Union is advancing reforms in conflict prevention, mediation, peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction.
He said the message from the discussions was clear: Africa must invest in Africa.
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The Chairperson said platforms such as GABI and Unstoppable Africa could help translate the continent’s ambitions into concrete action and mobilise resources for economic transformation.
He said the shared objective should be to build a prosperous, integrated and self-sustaining Africa driven by African value creation and empowered by African agency.