Webinar Discusses Key Findings, Policy Recommendations of the 2025 ASDR

Addis Ababa, November 21, 2025 (ENA) - A webinar organized at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in Addis Ababa today discussed the key findings and policy recommendations of the 2025 Africa Sustainable Development Report (ASDR).

The event brought together key stakeholders, including decision-makers from African member states, Regional Economic Communities, international organizations, researchers, and development partners engaged in sustainable development initiatives across the continent.

Oyebanke Abejirin, Officer-in-Charge of the Development Planning Section, told ENA that the ASDR is a collaborative effort involving the African Union Commission (AUC), UNECA, the African Development Bank (AfDB), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

This report uniquely tracks the progress of African nations in executing both the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, known as "The Africa We Want." Since its inception in 2017, the Africa Sustainable Development Report (ASDR) has played a crucial role in assessing the implementation status of these key long-term development frameworks.

She said that the 2025 ASDR draws inspiration from the upcoming High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), with a focus on “Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions.”  

It evaluates Africa's progress across five Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to health, gender equality, economic growth, ocean conservation, and global partnerships, all integral to both the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063.  

There has been a deceleration in progress over recent years, attributed largely to the compound effects of a polycrisis, including climate change, the Covid-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions, and high levels of debt.  

The urgent need for renewed commitment from the international community has never been more critical, as both agendas provide a unified vision for addressing the economic repercussions faced by African countries, she emphasized.

Indeed, Africa is making progress in 12 of the 17 SDGs; however, the current pace of progress is insufficient to achieve the goals by 2030 and that progress rate is insufficient to meet the targets.  

In this regard, the webinar aimed at discussing pivotal findings and policy recommendations from the 2025 Africa Sustainable Development Report (ASDR) while pinpointing critical constraints that must be addressed to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs and Agenda 2063, Abejirin stated. 

 

She highlighted that the webinar offered a valuable platform for exchanging experiences regarding SDG and Agenda 2063 implementation in Africa; and participants had the opportunity to distill insights that could shape future policy directions.

The discussions included a thorough examination of the 2025 ASDR’s findings and recommendations, focusing on solutions to pressing challenges, particularly the financing constraints imposed by ongoing crises.  

According to Abejirin, the necessity for a new global financing framework to support the swift execution of both agendas.

Moreover, the webinar was crafted to identify opportunities for enhancing national and regional implementation mechanisms, while also providing insights on how development partners can better contribute to the successful realization of these agendas in Africa, particularly through increased access to concessional financing, she underscored.