Adopted by African Union Heads of State and Government on October 30, 2025, in Luanda, Angola, the Luanda Declaration marks a renewed continental commitment to transforming Africa’s infrastructure as a cornerstone for trade, industrialization, and economic integration under Agenda 2063. Convened under the theme “Capital, Corridors, Trade: Investing in Infrastructure for the AfCFTA and Shared Prosperity,” the Declaration sets a results-driven framework for mobilizing capital, accelerating project implementation, and strengthening Africa-led financing mechanisms.
The Declaration underscores a strategic shift toward financial sovereignty by calling for the establishment of the AAMFI Project (Infrastructure) Financing Facility, a new continental mechanism led by the Alliance of African Multilateral Financial Institutions (AAMFI). This facility—supported by institutions such as Afreximbank, TDB, AFC, Africa Re, ATIDI, and SHAFDB—aims to pool African capital, de-risk investments, and promote blended finance instruments to attract private and institutional investors. The move signifies a major step toward reducing dependency on external concessional loans and advancing self-reliant, Africa-owned financing solutions.
A central focus of the Declaration is the acceleration of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA-PAP2), reaffirmed as the blueprint for achieving the Second Ten-Year Implementation Plan of Agenda 2063. African leaders endorsed 38 bankable projects, including 13 priority projects mobilizing over USD 18 billion, as a direct outcome of the Luanda Summit. Member States were urged to align national plans with PIDA priorities and adopt innovative early-stage project preparation mechanisms to overcome persistent financing barriers.
Recognizing the importance of political leadership, the Declaration revitalizes the Presidential Infrastructure Champion Initiative (PICI). Heads of State will now personally champion cross-border and high-impact projects through Annual Presidential–Investor Dialogues and Technical Task Team Meetings to enhance coordination, transparency, and investor confidence. Strengthening PICI’s role aims to resolve bottlenecks and ensure faster implementation of critical regional infrastructure initiatives.
The Declaration also emphasizes integration between industrialization, trade, and infrastructure planning, linking investments to the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Programme for Accelerated Industrial Development for Africa (PAIDA). This integrated approach connects transport, energy, and digital corridors with industrial policy planning, positioning infrastructure as a catalyst for regional value chains, innovation, and sustainable job creation across the continent.
Finally, the Luanda Declaration introduces stronger governance, monitoring, and innovation frameworks to ensure accountability and progress. It establishes a continental reporting mechanism for transparency, commits to mainstreaming gender equality, youth empowerment, and inclusion, and promotes the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance efficiency and safety in infrastructure systems. Additionally, it calls for investment in climate-resilient and low-carbon infrastructure aligned with Africa’s just energy transition. Progress reports will be coordinated by the African Union Commission (AUC) and AUDA-NEPAD, ensuring continuous follow-up and action at the continental level.
