At the 8th African Leadership Forum (AFL) held in Kampala, former President Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone delivered a compelling address emphasizing the critical link between human capital development and improved health and social services. He asserted that no nation can thrive when its people are burdened by preventable diseases and fragile public systems. Koroma stressed the urgency of aligning education and skills development with modern labor market demands.
“Africa’s demographic dividend can only translate into tangible growth if young people are equipped with relevant, future-facing competencies—including digital skills, entrepreneurship, and vocational training,” he said.
He also spotlighted agriculture as a strategic engine for growth, highlighting its capacity to create jobs, ensure food security, and drive industrialization. However, he warned that this potential remains largely untapped due to an overreliance on subsistence farming. “Only through value addition, technological innovation, and a modernized value chain can agriculture meaningfully contribute to inclusive economic transformation,” Koroma emphasized.
Held under the theme “Realising the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Africa: Progress and the Way Forward,” the Forum was co-hosted by the UONGOZI Institute, the Hailemariam & Roman Foundation, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). It brought together former and current heads of state, policy experts, and institutional leaders to evaluate Africa’s SDG journey.
Opening the forum, former Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete traced the AFL’s origins—founded by Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Benjamin Mkapa, and Festus Mogae—as a platform for African-led dialogue and solutions. Kikwete emphasized the power of candid discussions in fostering credible leadership and meaningful progress.
Sam Kutesa, who presided over the UN General Assembly during the SDGs’ adoption in 2015, reaffirmed the goals’ relevance but acknowledged Africa’s implementation gaps. “The SDGs remain valid,” he said. “But Africa’s execution has fallen short. The time for action is now.”
UNECA Deputy Executive Secretary Antonio Pedro acknowledged positive strides, especially in education, gender parity, and regional cooperation. “This is no longer the Africa of post-independence or the SAP era,” he noted. Yet, he warned that business-as-usual approaches cannot solve entrenched issues such as poverty, disease, unemployment, and climate vulnerability.
Pedro called for purpose-driven investment and a strategic recalibration of the SDGs to prioritize job creation, food security, and human capital development. He also urged for the full operationalization of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to dismantle economic fragmentation across the continent.
Former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn highlighted Africa’s abundant resources, but decried its continued dependency on donor funding, poor infrastructure, and governance issues. He advocated for: Renewable energy development, Governance reforms, climate-resilient infrastructure, regional integration via AfCFTA and A people-centered development model.
Former Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki underscored the role of courageous and selfless leadership, warning that corruption remains a catastrophic impediment to progress.
MAFA E. Chipeta, former FAO Regional Head for East Africa, delivered a sharp critique, stating, “Africa signs onto every treaty without resourcing or prioritizing implementation. We must stop running Africa on external instructions.” He urged leaders to: Prioritize SDGs that matter for structural transformation (particularly Goals 7, 8, 9, 12, 14, 15)
Reassess fossil fuel strategies given Africa’s low emissions, reclaim value chains and stop exporting raw materials cheaply, promote intra-African trade using local currencies and support local producers over external markets. His example of African coffee-sold for $2 per kilo while European cafés profit $10 per cup-was a poignant call for value addition and economic justice.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni emphasized practical, homegrown strategies to drive transformation. He outlined initiatives including: A ban on raw mineral exports to retain value locally, State-driven agricultural support to uplift rural populations, Strategic infrastructure tied to AfCFTA (e.g., rail from Djibouti to Dakar).
Investments in education and health as pillars of human capital, Museveni called for national ambition, urging Uganda to aim for a $500 billion economy through productivity and structural change. Throughout the day, the AFL distinguished itself as a platform for honest introspection, bold ideas, and tangible commitments-not just another round of platitudes.
The Forum concluded with a collective call to: Re-prioritize SDGs in line with Africa’s unique development trajectory, Invest massively in youth education, skills development, and employment, Promote local industrialization and value addition, Reform governance with a focus on inclusivity, transparency, and regional integration.
“Africa does not need charity-it needs fair cooperation, just trade, and courageous leadership,” said Pedro. “Africa must not just rise-it must lead.
