The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC), The African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) and the Government of The Federal Republic of Ethiopia convened the 11th Africa Think Tank (ATT) Summit 2025 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 8-10 October 2025 under the theme “from taxation to action: Bridging Policy and Implementation in Public Finance Management in Africa”. Delegates from more than 40 African and other countries attended the summit, representing government ministries, African think tanks, research institutes, civil society, private sector entities, and development partners.

Discussions at the summit emphasized the need to bridge the persistent gap between visionary policies and real world implementation by addressing capacity constraints, weak accountability mechanisms and limited digital integration within PFM systems. Participants highlighted that Africa’s transformation must be self-financed, data-driven, inclusive, and institutionally resilient.

In his address, Mr. Sufian Ahmed, Chairperson of HESPI Board of Director, highlighted the critical importance of transparency, accountability, and oversight in strengthening national PFM systems. Emphasizing Africa’s fiscal challenges and constrained international financial assistance, he called for enhanced domestic resource mobilization and more inclusive policymaking processes. He underlined effective PFM requires collaboration among governments, audit institutions, legislatures, think tanks, CSOs, and citizens. He mentioned inclusion ensures equitable resource allocation and strengthens accountability. Mr. Sufian indicated that African Think Tanks and Civil Society Organizations play a pivotal role in advising policymakers, advocating for community needs, simplifying complex budget information, and monitoring budget implementation. He suggested strengthening oversight institutions, cooperation between legislatures, Supreme Audit Institutions, and Independent Fiscal Institutions (IFIs), enhances transparency, informs public participation, and ensures sound financial governance. He reaffirmed a combination of independent institutions, citizen engagement, legal frameworks, political commitment, and technology-driven monitoring would create a resilient and effective financial management systems.