Africa Rethinks Development: Smarter Planning to Bridge the Financing Gap

As global development deadlines draw near, African governments are rethinking how they plan and pay for progress.

With just five years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, governments across the continent are embracing a shift in development strategy: moving from short-term fixes to long-term, integrated planning that aligns national ambitions with financial realities.

This strategic pivot was at the center of a high-level side event during the UN’s 2025 High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), co-hosted by the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).

The session explored how forward-thinking planning, rooted in systems thinking, could help African countries close persistent financing gaps and accelerate progress on key development targets. Instead of addressing challenges in isolation, speakers emphasized the need to connect planning with budgeting, implementation, and institutional reform.

“Long-term planning pushes countries to think beyond the immediate, ensuring that development strategies are more adaptive, coordinated, and resilient,” said Nassim Oulmane, Chief of the Green and Blue Economy Section at ECA.

Country-Led Innovations in Action

Real-world examples from across the continent demonstrated how this shift is taking root.

Ethiopia has launched a ten-year national development plan supported by new tax and revenue reforms. Uganda is aligning its national plans with the SDGs. Sierra Leone is integrating long-term thinking into specific sectors, while Nigeria is coordinating development strategies across federal and state levels.

All four countries are also engaged in the follow-up to the Seville Financing for Development (FfD4) conference, where the spotlight was on strengthening domestic resource mobilization.

To support these national efforts, ECA and APRM are rolling out tools like the Integrated Regional Planning Toolkit (IRPT). The toolkit is designed to help governments embed long-term planning within national development frameworks and financial strategies.

Closing the Leaks, Maximizing Resources

Speakers at the event also highlighted the broader economic implications of poor planning. Africa continues to suffer significant capital losses through inefficiencies, leakages, and weak public financial management—draining development momentum even in high-growth economies.

Strategic planning, coupled with investment in anticipatory governance systems, could allow countries to harness more of their own resources while building economic resilience.

“With global financing tightening and donor aid declining, better planning is no longer a technical option—it’s a strategic necessity,” one participant remarked.

As Africa navigates the Decade of Acceleration, the link between effective planning and meaningful implementation may prove decisive. Whether governments can close the gap between ambition and action could determine not only the pace of progress but the future of inclusive, sustainable development on the continent.