Key Statistics
- Think Tank Leaders
- 600+
- Sessions & Workshops
- 7
- Publications
- 1
- African Countries
- 40+
11TH EDITION · 2025
From Taxation to Action: Bridging Policy and Implementation in Public Financial Management (PFM) in Africa
- LocationAddis Ababa, Ethiopia
- DatesOctober 8 – 10, 2025
- Participants600 participants
Summit Overview
The 11th Africa Think Tank Summit was held 8–10 October 2025 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, under the theme "From Taxation to Action: Bridging Policy and Implementation in Public Financial Management (PFM) in Africa." Co-hosted by the Government of Ethiopia and jointly organized by ACBF, the African Union Commission, and AUDA-NEPAD, the summit brought together over 500 high-level delegates from more than 40 countries — policymakers, think tanks, researchers, finance and revenue ministries, development partners, private sector, and civil society. Across three days of plenary, thematic, stakeholder, and side-event sessions, participants addressed the persistent gap between well-designed fiscal policies and their implementation, focusing on domestic resource mobilization, expenditure management, and public accountability.
ATTS 2025 Programme
Three days on public financial management in Africa
DAY 1
Day 1 — Wednesday 8 October 2025
- 09:00–11:00
Plenary Session 1 — Official Opening Ceremony
MC: Shimeles Lemma. Cultural showcase; welcome H.E. Zadig Abreha (AFLEX); convener Mamadou Biteye (ACBF); partner remarks Fekadu Tsega, Holy Ranaivozanany, Patricia Pilar Llombart Cussac (EU), Amine Idriss Adoum (AUDA-NEPAD); launch of 2024 Africa Export Competitiveness Report; launch of Africa Think Tank Platform Project with H.E. Selma Malika Haddadi (AUC); Guest of Honor H.E. Aynalem Nigussie, Minister of Revenue, Ethiopia.
- 11:30–13:00
Plenary Session 2 — Ministerial Session: Effective Leadership in DRM for Africa's Socio-economic Transformation
Moderator: Shimeles Lemma. Panelists: Aynalem Nigussie, Cassiel Ato Baah Forson (Ghana), Njuguna Ndung'u (TDB), Hakim Ben Hammouda (GI4T).
- 14:30–16:00
Parallel Thematic Session 1 — Harnessing Data for Taxation
Moderator: Eliud Moyi (KIPPRA).
- 14:30–16:00
Parallel Thematic Session 2 — Innovative Domestic Resources Mobilization
Moderator: Gloria Somolekae (BIDPA).
- 14:30–16:00
Parallel Thematic Session 3 — Debt Sustainability: Aligning Borrowing with Tax Capabilities
Moderator: Eugenia Kayitesi (IPAR-Rwanda).
- 14:30–16:00
Parallel Thematic Session 4 — Reimagining Capacity Building for Effective DRM
Moderator: Danford Sango (ESRF).
- 16:30–18:00
Side-Event 1 — Health Taxes as Smart Public Finance
Hosted by ACBF. Moderator: Betina Edziwa.
- 16:30–18:00
Side-Event 2 — Agenda 2063 in the Era of Multiple Crises
Hosted by IISTA. Moderator: Fadel Ndiame (PASGR).
- 16:30–18:00
Side-Event 3 — Closing the Policy Gap with SOUTHMOD
Hosted by UNU-WIDER.
- 19:30–21:00
Summit Cocktail
Featured Speakers
Mr. Shimeles Lemma
Summit Host and Conductor
ModeratorH.E. Zadig Abreha
President
African Leadership Excellence Academy (AFLEX)
KeynoteMr. Mamadou Biteye
Executive Secretary
African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF)
H.E. Fekadu Tsega
Director General
Policy Studies Institute (PSI)
Mrs. Holy Ranaivozanany
Deputy Executive Director
Africa-Europe Foundation (AEF)
H.E. Mrs. Patricia Pilar Llombart Cussac
Managing Director for Africa, European External Action Service
European Union
Mr. Amine Idriss Adoum
Director for Infrastructure, Industrialisation and Trade
AUDA-NEPAD
Dr. Amit Kapoor
Honorary Chairman
Institute for Competitiveness, India
Panelist
Publications & Research
POLICY BRIEF 2025 Africa Think Tank Summit Report
African Capacity Building Foundation | Published: October 2025
Download PDFPOLICY BRIEF ATTS 2025 Concept Note
African Capacity Building Foundation | Published: October 2025
Download PDF
