About Agenda 2063

Origin and Adoption

The seeds of Agenda 2063 were planted on 26 May 2013, when the 21st Ordinary Assembly of the African Union met in Addis Ababa to mark the Golden Jubilee, the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 1963. In the 50th Anniversary Solemn Declaration, Africa's Heads of State and Government re-dedicated the continent to the Pan-African vision of "an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens."

The AU Commission, supported by NEPAD, the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), was tasked to develop a long-range continental agenda through a participatory process. Following extensive consultations in every AU region, the framework document was finalised and adopted by the 24th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly on 31 January 2015 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The First Ten-Year Implementation Plan (2014 to 2023)

The First Ten-Year Implementation Plan (FTYIP), covering 2014 to 2023, focused on convergence: aligning national development plans, regional economic community frameworks and continental AU instruments into a common delivery architecture. Its priorities included accelerating economic growth and structural transformation, building democratic governance, and launching the flagship projects.

Progress was assessed through biennial continental reports. The Second Continental Report (2022) found that while meaningful foundations were laid, including the landmark launch of the AfCFTA, the issuing of AU Passports to Heads of State, and the Single African Air Transport Market declaration, implementation was uneven across member states. Only a handful of countries achieved more than 60 per cent of their FTYIP targets, underscoring the need for the Decade of Acceleration.

The Second Ten-Year Implementation Plan and the Decade of Acceleration (2024 to 2033)

Launched in February 2024, the Second Ten-Year Implementation Plan (STYIP) reframes the Agenda 2063 vision for the 2024 to 2033 period under the banner of the Decade of Accelerated Implementation. Drawing on the lessons of the FTYIP, and the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and global economic shocks, the STYIP shifts emphasis from convergence to measurable delivery.

The STYIP introduced a new organising device: the Seven Moonshots. Each Moonshot carries one of the original seven Aspirations forward as a single, galvanising, quantified ambition with a target year of 2033. Forty AU Member States participated in national consultation processes that formed the basis for defining the Moonshots. Implementation flows through three pathways:

• Continental: AU frameworks, continental policies and flagship projects.
• Regional: Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and their integration agendas.
• National: Country development plans and national budgets aligned to Agenda 2063 goals.

The Seven Moonshots (2024 to 2033)

The Seven Moonshots are bold, measurable outcomes Africa has committed to delivering by 2033:

1. Every AU member state attains at least middle-income status.
2. Africa is more integrated and connected, economically, physically and digitally.
3. Public institutions are more transparent, responsive and effective.
4. Africa resolves conflicts amicably and maintains lasting peace and security.
5. African culture and values are explicit, celebrated and promoted globally.
6. African citizens are more empowered and more productive, especially women and youth.
7. Africa is a stronger, more influential global partner in multilateral forums and trade.

Flagship Projects

Fifteen flagship projects give Agenda 2063 tangible, continent-wide form. Among the most significant:

• African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the world's largest free-trade area by number of participating countries, bringing together all 55 AU member states to eliminate tariffs, harmonise trade rules and double intra-African trade.
• Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), full liberalisation of intra-African aviation, connecting capital cities and boosting connectivity across the continent.
• African Passport and Free Movement, phased introduction of a common AU travel document and the progressive removal of visa restrictions for all African citizens across the continent.
• Continental High-Speed Train Network, a trans-continental rail infrastructure linking major cities and economic corridors.
• Grand Inga Dam, a hydropower mega-project on the Congo River (Democratic Republic of the Congo) expected to generate up to 43,200 MW, enough to supply clean power across multiple African regions.
• Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), a continental infrastructure master plan covering transport, energy, ICT and trans-boundary water systems.
• Pan-African E-Network and Pan-African Virtual and E-University (PAVEU), continental digital infrastructure and open learning institutions to drive the knowledge economy.
• African Outer Space Programme, building Africa's space science, satellite and earth-observation capacity.
• Great Museum of Africa, a flagship cultural institution to preserve and showcase the shared heritage of African civilisations.
• Continental Financial Institutions, including the African Investment Bank, the African Monetary Fund and the African Central Bank, to anchor continental economic sovereignty.

Implementation, Governance and Monitoring

Agenda 2063 operates through a structured governance architecture:

• AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government: The apex body that adopts the framework and its ten-year plans and reviews continental progress.
• AU Commission (AUC): The secretariat of the African Union, responsible for overall coordination, policy coherence and continental reporting.
• AUDA-NEPAD (African Union Development Agency): Formerly the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency, AUDA-NEPAD is the principal implementing and technical body for Agenda 2063. It coordinates national and continental implementation, supports member states in preparing Agenda 2063 progress reports, hosts the monitoring and evaluation system, and leads the design and management of flagship projects.
• Eight Regional Economic Communities (RECs): ECOWAS, SADC, EAC, AMU, IGAD, ECCAS, CEN-SAD and COMESA translate continental priorities into regional programmes and report on progress at the sub-continental level.
• AU Member States: National governments mainstream Agenda 2063 into their development plans, budgets and statistics systems, and submit biennial progress reports.

A Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Framework, approved by the AU Executive Council in January 2018, governs data collection and reporting across all three levels. Biennial continental progress reports, co-led by the AUC and AUDA-NEPAD, aggregate national and REC submissions into an evidence-based picture of continental progress. The Africa Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), the Africa Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), the UN Economic Commission for Africa and the SDG Centre for Africa are all part of the M&E partnership.

Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals

Agenda 2063 is closely aligned with the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The two frameworks are mutually reinforcing: the SDGs provide a global accountability floor, while Agenda 2063 adds Africa-specific ambitions that go beyond 2030 and reflect the continent's own political economy and cultural heritage. Member states are encouraged to develop integrated national reporting that covers both agendas simultaneously.

How Citizens and Youth Can Engage

Agenda 2063 was designed as a people's agenda. Citizens can engage in several ways:

• Learn: Use this platform's learning hub, quizzes, flashcards and games, to deepen your understanding of the Aspirations, Goals and Moonshots.
• Track: Explore the progress dashboard to see how the continent is advancing across indicators, by country and by aspiration.
• Pledge: Make a personal or institutional commitment on the Map of Commitments and add your voice to the continental movement.
• Advocate: Share knowledge with your community, school or workplace. Youth in particular are recognised by Agenda 2063 as its primary beneficiaries and its most vital drivers.
• Hold leaders accountable: The biennial reports, flagship project trackers and dashboard data on this platform are designed to make Agenda 2063 progress visible and accessible to every citizen.

"Agenda 2063 is not a government plan. It is a people's plan. Governments are only trustees of the plan on behalf of the people."
, African Union Commission