Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former Liberian President, will chair a new African Leadership Transformation Panel, to help drive the development of Africa economies.

Dr Kingsley Y. Amoako, Founder and President of the African Centre for Economic Transformation (ACET), who made the announcement at the just-ended second Africa Transformation Forum (ATF2018) in Accra, said the panel would focus particularly on opportunities for women and young people, in its efforts to reform Africa’s economies.

He said Africa’s biggest economic opportunities were social ones as by 2035, 450 million Africans would have joined the working age population, more than the rest of the world combined in that time.

“Our economies will leap forward if we create jobs these young people know how to do. Achieving this will require leaders committed to sustained investment and intelligent policymaking. That work starts now,” said Dr. Amoako.

Former President Johnson Sirleaf, in a release issued by ACET, noted: “We need leadership that promotes growth for the many, not the few. As this continent’s first female President and the former leader of a very young population, I am passionate about getting our economies firing for everybody. We must learn from and with each other to develop a shared vision. That’s what this panel is all about - it’s very exciting”.

Heads of State, senior government officials and business leaders were among approximately 300 delegates from the public and private sector at the ATF2018.

Discussions focused on themes, including improving regional integration, energy efficiency and technological innovation, and tackling youth unemployment and gender inequality.

The announcement concluded the African Transformation Forum (ATF), where many of the continent’s leading thinkers, gathered to discuss the policies and partnerships needed to drive sustainable growth and regional integration.

Key attendees included Africa’s richest person and owner of the Dangote Group Aliko Dangote, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, Cote d'Ivoire Vice President Daniel Kablan Duncan and Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UN ECA), Dr Vera Songwe.