Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 28 Avril 2026 – The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), in collaboration with its partners, convened the Private Sector Forum as part of the Twelfth Session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (#ARFSD12), bringing together leaders from government, the private sector, financial institutions, development organizations, and the United Nations system.
Under the theme “Forward Faster: Strengthening Private Sector Partnerships to Accelerate the SDGs in Africa”, the Forum served as a strategic platform to advance practical and scalable solutions for sustainable development across the continent.
Opening the proceedings on behalf of Mr. Claver Gatete, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ECA, Ngone Diop, Director of the ECA Office for West Africa, underscored the urgency of moving from dialogue to implementation, stating that: “Africa’s development ambitions are clear, but the scale of financing, innovation and delivery required cannot be met by public resources alone.”
She also highlighted the catalytic role of the private sector in structural transformation: “The private sector is not only a source of capital; it is a driver of job creation, technology development, industrial transformation, and value chain strengthening. It plays an essential role in promoting practical solutions for the development of key sectors for our populations.”
Discussions focused on assessing progress in SDG-aligned investments, identifying barriers to scaling impact, and exploring innovative financing instruments, including blended finance, guarantees, debt swaps, and risk-sharing mechanisms.
Particular emphasis was placed on debt-for-climate and debt-for-social development swaps in West Africa, notably through ongoing initiatives supported by ECA and its partners in Senegal, The Gambia, and Ghana. These mechanisms offer concrete pathways to expand fiscal space, mobilize additional financing, and support structural investments in climate action, social development, and the SDGs.
Another key highlight of the Forum was the call for a 12-month Leadership Compact, aimed at translating commitments into concrete, measurable, and time-bound results to accelerate SDG delivery in Africa.
The Forum was co-organized with the United Nations Global Compact and UNDP, bringing together a wide range of stakeholders committed to advancing Africa’s sustainable development agenda.
Issued by:
Communications Section
Economic Commission for Africa
PO Box 3001
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Tel: +251 11 551 5826
E-mail: eca-info@un.org