Proper development: Why Africa needs more than good intentions Poverty and development

The annual World Economic Forum in Davos is gathering the most influential world leaders with the announced goal of improving global economic conditions. This year, promoting inclusive and sustainable growth in Africa is again a major topic for conversation at the meeting. But when it comes to the development of Africa, we too often confuse discussion with progress. The continent hosts some of the fastest growing economies in the world, but average growth remains below global standards. This paradox requires more than analysis – it requires decisive action.

Africa's potential is exceptional. The home of 60 percent of the world's untreated arable land, young and dynamic population and huge natural resources, the continent has all the ingredients for transforming growth. The question is not whether Africa can develop – the question is how to eliminate the obstacles that block its progress.

Today's landscape of development is often like a complex maze of requirements, reports and contradictory guidelines from hundreds of agencies. While accountability matters, excessive bureaucracy stifles progress. What Africa needs is a practical, focused investment in fundamental areas that move economic growth.

Take the energy challenge: only 50 percent of 1.37 billion people in Africa have access to electricity. By 2030, investments in the Africa Energy Sector must reach $ 25 billion a year to fill the gap in access to energy, a dramatic increase compared to today's expensesS But investments themselves are not enough – we have to offer practical, home solutions. The key is the regional integration of our energy sources – this is how we will solve our energy crisis. Africa has huge water, solar and other energy resources in different regions. If we come up with the right energy mix and establish a united power supply, we can power the entire continent through a strong, sustainable network. Such an achievement would have an influence on a historical scale on the development of our continent.

In the same way, it contradicts the logic that a continent with most of the arable land in the world has over 280 million malnourished people. This is not due to a lack of abilities. This is the result of neglected rural infrastructure, fragmented markets and insufficient investment in agricultural technology. The solution requires strategic investments in roads, irrigation systems and storage facilities, combined with policies that promote local processing and adding value.

Internal African trade, which represents only 15 percent of the continent's total trade, illustrates another great opportunity. The African Continental Free Trade Zone (AFCFTA) promises, but its success depends on the practical implementation – road construction, modernization of ports and removal of trade barriers. These are not revolutionary concepts, but proven foundations of economic development.

The way forward is clear. First, we need to rationalize development processes. African nations need partners, not guards. Second, infrastructure investments should be practical and immediate – roads, power plants and ports that allow real economic activity, interconnectedness between nations and consist of a strategic vision for the whole continent. Third, we must trust the local leadership that it will set priorities based on real realities, not distant theories from the meeting room.

Our young people, whether in Maghreb (Northwestern Africa), Central Africa or the African horn, deserve educational systems that prepare them for the modern workplace. These curricula often look like outdated production lines, failing to equip students with tools for their future. This needs to change. Similarly, our healthcare systems need purposeful investments to reduce mortality and deal with the great differences in healthcare throughout the continent.

Davos leaders need to focus on tangible steps to speed up the Africa inclusive growth program. The continent does not need more developmental seminars – it needs a practical, results aimed at the results that allows nations to build stable economies and societies.

It's not just an ambitious thinking. These are realistic goals, supported by the huge potential of the continent.

The choice is clear: Continue to work as usual or adopt a development model that gives priority to the results of the process. The answer to the world of this choice will determine not only the future of Africa, but also the course of global prosperity for decades to come. The time for endless discussions is over – Africa needs action now.

The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial position.