AFRICAN UNION ADVANCES DE-RISKING AGENDA TO BOOST INVESTMENT ACROSS AFRICA

MAURITIUS, October 15, 2026 — The African Union (AU) has advanced efforts to strengthen investor confidence across Africa through a coordinated programme aimed at addressing structural governance challenges that contribute to the continent’s high investment risk premium.

H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, chaired a high-level roundtable at the Continental Hotel in Balaclava, Mauritius, on the sidelines of the launch of the Africa Credit Rating Agency (AfCRA).

Held under the theme “Beyond AfCRA – The De-Risking Africa Initiative,” the meeting sought to establish a coordinated, country-owned approach to reducing investment risks and lowering the cost of accessing capital across the continent.

The initiative follows a July 2026 decision by the African Union’s specialised technical committees on finance and trade, which mandated the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and its partners to develop and implement an Africa De-Risking Programme.

The programme brings together the African Union Commission, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, the United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, the African Export-Import Bank, the African Development Bank and the African Association of Multilateral Finance Institutions.

Participants welcomed the African Union’s leadership and expressed support for stronger coordination among development partners. The discussions identified priority areas for cooperation and established a foundation for further consultations on programme design, country engagement, governance and implementation.

The initiative is designed to complement AfCRA by addressing structural barriers that credit ratings alone cannot resolve. Although credible and independent ratings can improve assessments of sovereign and other credit risks, broader institutional and governance reforms remain essential to attracting investment.

Through targeted technical assistance, the programme will support African Union Member States in translating credit-rating recommendations into practical reforms, particularly in governance, fiscal and debt management, data quality, policy communication and institutional capacity.

The African Union expects the initiative to strengthen investment confidence, improve access to capital and advance sustainable development across Africa.