Africa-Press – Uganda. The 11th Africa Think Tank Summit (ATTS) is set to discuss how to bridge the gap between taxation policies and their effective implementation to strengthen public financial management (PFM) on the continent.
Scheduled to take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from October 8 to 10, 2025, the summit will convene top African policy thinkers, government officials, economists, and development partners under the theme: “From Taxation to Action: Bridging Policy and Implementation in Public Financial Management in Africa.”
Speaking ahead of the event during a virtual media briefing, Mamadou Biteye, Executive Secretary of the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), noted that the financial outlook for many African countries has grown increasingly fragile.
According to Biteye, there is significant drop in foreign direct investment and a worrying rise in public debt levels as major indicators of economic strain which makes it even more urgent for African governments to rethink how they raise and manage public resources.
He said that while African countries have made strides in crafting progressive tax policies, the biggest challenge remains implementation — particularly in countries with large informal economies and low domestic resource mobilization.
“The summit will provide a platform for deep, solution-focused dialogue on how to improve tax-to-GDP ratios, enhance policy execution, and ensure sustainable fiscal systems across the continent,” Biteye said.
According to officials, the summit will also see the launch of the Africa Think Tank Platform Project, a new initiative aimed at strengthening collaboration among African research institutions and enhancing their influence on public policy
The African Capacity Building Foundation will also unveil a new publication documenting the evolution and impact of think tanks across Africa, capturing lessons learned and their role in evidence-based policymaking.
The summit will also introduce a more hands-on approach to capacity development.
According to Bitete, practical events such as a PFM Hackathon and targeted training sessions will be held during the three-day conference, giving professionals an opportunity to design and test innovative solutions to real fiscal problems facing governments.
The event, organized by ACBF in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Leadership Excellence Academy (AFLEX), is supported by the World Bank and the Hewlett Foundation, and hosted by the Ethiopian government through its Ministry of Finance.
Zadig Abreha, the President of AFLEX, described the theme as timely and deeply relevant to Africa’s development needs.
He stressed that creating policies is only the first step; the real work lies in ensuring those policies are effectively implemented and deliver tangible impact on governance, service delivery, and development outcomes.
Fatou Diouf, ACBF’s Head of Communications, urged the media to play a proactive role in shaping public understanding of PFM reforms.
She called on journalists across the continent to localize Summit discussions and bring stories of fiscal transformation closer to their communities.
As global aid continues to decline and domestic fiscal pressures escalate, stakeholders emphasized that Africa’s economic future depends on translating sound fiscal policy into action.
Strengthening institutions, engaging citizens, and increasing transparency in financial governance will be at the heart of this year’s Summit.
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