African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET)

The African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET) mourns with deep sorrow the passing of the Chair of ACET’s Board of Directors, Hon. Tito Titus Mboweni, aged 65, who died Saturday evening after a sudden and brief illness. A historic figure on the continent, Tito strove for the end of apartheid in South Africa and served as the country’s first labor minister from 1994 to 1999. Afterwards, he also served as governor of the South African Reserve Bank and finance minister. Tito joined ACET’s Board in April 2014 as Chair. He was due to step down in April 2025. His long tenure on the Board was a testament not only to his firm belief in African ownership of Africa’s future and ACET’s work but also the deep friendship and mutual respect between him and staff, especially ACET Founder and President Emeritus K.Y. Amoako. During his 10-year tenure on the ACET Board, Tito brought his wealth of leadership experience from business, government, and academia to bear on building a robust governance structure and steering the organization towards growth as the leading policy institute in Africa. He will be deeply missed. Read more about Tito's legacy here - https://acetforafrica.org/

🎄 Happy Holidays from ACET! As the year ends, we reflect on the progress made and the partnerships that have driven Africa’s transformation. Thank you for being part of our journey in 2024! We're taking a short break to recharge, but we’ve curated a special Holiday Reading List, including our end-of-year newsletter, to inspire you. We’ll see you in 2025, ready to continue driving change together. Wishing you a joyful holiday season and a transformative new year! 🎉 📚 Explore the reading list: 1. “Besaydoo” by Yalie Kamara - https://lnkd.in/d9JDDY55 2. “Be Ready when Luck Happens” by Ina Garten - https://lnkd.in/dG4R5EWT 3. “Leaders Eat Last” by Simon Sinek - https://lnkd.in/d8xPx2A2 4. “All About Love” by bell hooks - https://lnkd.in/d7mfHfF 5. “Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male Power” by Ijeoma Oluo - https://lnkd.in/dyetqc8D 6. “Africa’s green manufacturing crossroads: Choices for a low-carbon industrial future” by McKinsey - https://lnkd.in/gv-6J_CQ 7. “Tackling the Vicious Circle” by ACET - https://lnkd.in/d_jkn5ZF 8. ACET End-of-Year Newsletter - https://lnkd.in/dnyXP7wq #HappyHolidays #ACETImpact

Artificial Intelligence is reshaping policymaking globally, and Africa has a unique opportunity to lead the way with responsible AI, harnessing it for economic transformation. By prioritizing fairness, transparency, and inclusiveness, we can leverage AI to: • Improve economic forecasting • Optimize resource allocation • Drive inclusive growth But to succeed, we must address challenges like: • Inconsistent regulations • Limited data infrastructure • Ethical concerns We are calling for multi-stakeholder collaboration to ensure AI serves Africa’s needs. Together, we can develop innovative and equitable policies. 🔗 Dive into our latest report to explore actionable solutions: https://lnkd.in/d6mMwEJM #ResponsibleAI #EconomicPolicy

Through the G20 Compact with Africa (CwA), ACET facilitated peer learning sessions in Abidjan and Rabat this year, empowering countries to attract private investments in critical areas:   🌍 Investing in Climate: Exploring climate finance solutions to close funding gaps. Sharing successful green initiatives like Côte d'Ivoire’s ESG framework and sustainable bonds. 💻 Investing in Digitalization: Highlighting digital transformation strategies to enhance governance and competitiveness. Addressing the critical role of private sector engagement and regional policy harmonization. These sessions underscore the importance of collaboration and knowledge-sharing for Africa’s economic transformation. 📖 Dive into the insights here: https://lnkd.in/dP9b7Ayp Freda Yawson | Marie-Noelle O. Nwokolo | Belinda Ayamgha | Tumba (Yannick) Tshimanga

Over the past year, the YES-PACT program has made significant strides in policy breakthroughs and youth skills development. Learn about impactful initiatives like enhancing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Ethiopia and Rwanda and tackling youth employment challenges across the continent.   💡Discover more about the YES-PACT in our end-of-year newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/dCZ6Z5MX   Click to learn more about the program's achievements so far - https://lnkd.in/dvDuMgJ6   #YouthSkills #TVET #YouthEmployment

It was a great honour to join Reena Ninan and Gargee Ghosh on the Hidden Economics of Remarkable Women podcast. A few things have been on my mind since we recorded this episode in October, and they tie directly back to the issues we touched on together. I’ve heard a lot of excitement in the past few weeks about nine of the 20 projected fastest-growing economies in 2025 being African. But we must not forget that we have been here before, and without #transformation, that growth will continue to leave many Africans behind. Over the last 20 years, we've actually seen a regression or stagnation on #economic #transformation in most African countries. Growth without DEPTH is not sustainable, it does not help us withstand and recover from shocks, and it does not serve our people – especially the most vulnerable.     As Gargee so rightly said during our conversation, “We know that it's women and children who will give up a meal. We know that kids get pulled out of school and it's often girls first. And so in an incredibly bad macro situation, we are particularly worried about women and children and people on the verge of or who live in poverty because they will be hit the hardest.”   At ACET, 2025 will be our “Year of Gender Equality”. We will focus our discourse on driving equity and inclusion for Africa’s women and girls and insisting on shared power as the basis for Africa’s transformation. To learn more about our work and some of the early findings from our upcoming research, have a listen to this episode of the HERO podcast. Huge thanks to Gargee and to Reena for the excellent coversation and for quoting my favourite person (my son) - who is encouraging us all to stop talking and actually do something to make the changes we want to see! 

The successful IDA21 replenishment is a testament to the power of collaboration and a shared commitment to sustainable development. ACET is proud to have contributed to this historic achievement, working alongside steadfast partners like Gargee Ghosh of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to advance opportunities and address challenges across Africa.     This milestone highlights what is possible when organizations and stakeholders unite for a common purpose: fostering innovation, resilience, and inclusive growth that paves the way for Africa’s economic transformation.     https://lnkd.in/en_vPcyw   #IDA21

In her recent interview with Alliance magazine, Mavis Owusu-Gyamfi, President and CEO of #ACET, shares her vision for Africa's growth and its path to economic transformation: 🔵 Intentional policymaking to develop value chains  🔵 The crucial role of philanthropy in building capacity  🔵 The need for a robust knowledge ecosystem across Africa 🌐| Read the whole conversation highlighting actionable steps for sustainable economic development: https://lnkd.in/dS9CqMjG #Leadership #EconomicTransformation #AfricaInnovation #SustainableGrowth 

See below for our reaction to the #IDA21 replenishment, courtesy of our President and CEO Mavis Owusu-Gyamfi.

This #GivingTuesday, act for Africa’s transformation.  🌍 ACET is driving bold policies and innovative solutions to empower communities, create jobs, and build resilient economies across the continent. Your support fuels sustainable growth and lasting change. Join us in advancing Africa’s future. Donate today: https://lnkd.in/d-bZYXAv #GivingTuesday