Held annually since 2010, the Ibrahim Forum aims to tackle specific issues that are of critical importance to Africa, and require both committed leadership and governance.

 

Bringing together a diverse range of high-level African stakeholders belonging to various public and private constituencies, as well as selected non-African partners, the Forum is an open and frank discussion. It aims to go beyond stating issues and renewing commitments by defining pragmatic strategies, operational action points and shared responsibilities.

 

In order to facilitate this and to focus energies on a constructive debate, the Foundation publishes a ‘Facts & Figures’ report for

each Forum. The report compiles the best and most recent data and analysis relevant to the issues to be addressed.

 

The focus of the 2015 Ibrahim Forum is ‘African Urban Dynamics’. Cities have the potential to play a pivotal role in Africa’s development. As the last continent in which 50% of the population will become urban, Africa is expected to accommodate almost 900 million additional urban dwellers within the next 35 years. This is more than 3 times the current population of Indonesia, or slightly less than 3 times the population of the USA. This urban growth is characterised by a massive youth surge. Meanwhile, economic growth is often taking place without job creation, inequalities are widening and per capita incomes are up to 5 times lower than in other regions at similar urbanisation levels. Moreover, the new century brings unprecedented pressures linked to climate change, global pandemics, worsening security threats and growing migration flows.