African Leaders Call for More Investment in Development and Infrastructure

Brazzaville (Congo) - 3rd June 2026 - During a high-level presidential dialogue in Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of the Congo, the President of the Central African Republic, Professor Faustin-Archange Touadéra, discussed Africa’s financing prospects with Gabonese President Brice Oligui Nguema, Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso, and the President of the African Development Bank, Dr. Sidi Ould Tah. The event took place in the presence of representatives from governments, financial institutions, development organizations, the private sector, and civil society. 

Under the theme “Mobilizing large-scale development finance for Africa in a fragmented world,” the focus was particularly on strategies to close the continent’s financing gap.  

President Touadéra called for greater support for domestic economies through investments in road construction, power generation, and regional transportation links. According to Touadéra, the Central African Republic possesses significant economic potential and an increasingly stable investment environment. He also reaffirmed his country’s support for the “Mission 300” initiative, through which the African Development Bank and the World Bank aim to connect approximately 300 million people in Africa to the electricity grid by 2030.  

Significant unused capital reserves

Addressing Africa’s financing gap, AfDB President Ould Tah explained that there are significant untapped capital reserves on the continent. According to estimates, African stakeholders have access to approximately four trillion U.S. dollars in financial resources that could be mobilized for investment-worthy development projects. The bank’s role, he said, is to work with governments and financial institutions to develop viable projects and provide the necessary funding. 

Youth as the continent’s most important developmental asset

Another key focus of the discussion was the role of Africa’s young population. President Nguema described young people as the continent’s most important asset for development and called for increased investment in education, engineering, and technical training. 

The 61st Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the African Development Bank and the 52nd Meeting of the Board of Governors of the African Development Fund took place from May 25 to 29, 2026, at the Kintélé International Conference Center in Brazzaville. In light of a growing financing gap and a changing geopolitical and economic environment, participants view the mobilization of additional financial resources as a crucial prerequisite for Africa’s continued development.