Addis Ababa to Host Africa Think Tank Summit 2025 on Public Financial Management

Ethiomonitor -Addis Ababa 

September 25, 2025 

The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), in partnership with the African Union Commission and the Ministry of Finance of Ethiopia, will host the 11th Africa Think Tank Summit (ATTS 2025) in Addis Ababa from October 8–10, 2025.
This year’s summit, themed “From Taxation to Action: Bridging Policy and Implementation in Public Financial Management (PFM) in Africa,” will bring together more than 300 delegates, including think tanks, policymakers, researchers, civil society leaders, and development partners from over 50 countries.
The gathering is supported by the World Bank and the Hewlett Foundation, with technical input from institutions such as the Policy Studies Institute (PSI), African Leadership Excellence Academy (AFLEX), AUDA-NEPAD, UNECA, and the Africa-Europe Foundation.
The summit aims to address Africa’s pressing fiscal challenges, including low tax-to-GDP ratios, widening debt burdens, and gaps in budget execution.
Discussions will focus on strengthening domestic resource mobilization, reducing dependence on foreign aid, and ensuring fiscal sovereignty to finance development priorities under Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
A major highlight will be the launch of a landmark book on African Think Tanks, documenting their evolution, contributions, and role in shaping evidence-based policies across the continent.
Other key features include ministerial dialogues, stakeholder sessions, training workshops, and a PFM Hackathon exploring digital and fintech innovations to enhance tax systems and transparency.
Ahead of the summit, the 34th Annual Board of Governors (BoG) Meeting of ACBF will take place on October 7, 2025, bringing together African ministers of finance, senior policymakers, and development partners to review the Foundation’s progress and set future strategic directions.
With over 33 years of experience in building institutional and human capacity across Africa, ACBF has trained more than 100,000 professionals and nurtured a network of 60+ think tanks that influence fiscal and development policy.
“Public financial management is Africa’s fiscal backbone, and bridging the gap between policy and implementation is essential to unlocking resources for development,” the Foundation said in its briefing.
The summit is expected to conclude with a communiqué and actionable recommendations that will guide fiscal reforms across the continent, reinforcing Africa’s commitment to finance its own future through stronger institutions,