African futures: horizon 2025

It is clear that in recent years Africa has undergone significant economic, socio-political and technological transformations, a process which is likely to accelerate over the coming decades. While it would be an overstatement to proclaim that the future will be African, there are strong indications that the global importance of the continent is set to rise – and not only as a source of risk factors spilling over from poverty and instability. The objective of this report – the outcome of a consultative project conducted in collaboration with external experts and research institutes – is to reflect on the major trends that will orient Africa’s future looking ahead towards 2025, and to identify the factors which are likely to have the most far-reaching impact on Africa’s economic, political and security trajectory.