2025 Annual Meetings: African countries lead drive for country-led development platforms

African countries are taking increasingly  taking the lead in shapingtheir development agendas through innovative country-led platforms that align national priorities with international partnerships and private sector engagement, according to government officials and development experts.

At a high-level panel discussion on Thursday, 29 May during the African Development Bank Group's 2025 Annual Meetings, co-hosted by South Africa's G20 Presidency and the African Development Bank, panellists identified country ownership, private sector mobilisation, and institutional coordination as key drivers of transformative development finance.

Neil Cole, panel moderator and JET Financing Manager at South Africa's Presidency, said country platforms represent "a practical, sovereign solution” that unites governments, development partners, and the private sector in a coordinated effort that aligns finance, policy, and delivery capacity around national priorities.

South Africa's energy transition shows the way

South Africa's Just Energy Transition Partnership exemplifies how country platforms work in practice. Anchored in a government-approved investment plan, the platform has successfully aligned funding, policy, and private capital mobilization around the country's energy transition goals.

"Our platform depends on three critical elements," Cole said. "Strong domestic leadership housed within the Presidency, building trust through early engagement with social partners, and innovative financing tools including blended finance and policy-based loans."

Despite challenges in securing predictable finance, South Africa's platform has begun crowding in long-term investment and fostering an inclusive national dialogue on the energy transition.

Kenya designs comprehensive national approach

Dr. Yusuf Hussein, Climate Finance Advisor in Kenya's Executive Office of the President, outlined Kenya’s approach to designing a comprehensive platform that consolidates sectoral plans under a unified framework.

"We are bringing together our climate action plan, Nationally Determined Contributions, and transformation agenda," Hussein explained. "The key is mobilizing resources for our green potential while ensuring speed and inclusivity across all levels."

Kenya's platform will be anchored at presidential level, with coordinated with support from the World Bank, African Development Bank, and bilateral partners.

Development partners must align behind African leadership

Christoph Rauh from Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development stressed that platform success hinges on strong  domestic ownership.

"Whatever we do as development partners must be anchored in strong leadership from the partner country," Rauh stated. "Ownership is central – without it, our interventions are not successful."

Avinash Persaud from the Inter-American Development Bank added that while country platforms may not eliminate financing gaps, "they provide a critical landing spot for capital and are essential for improving the impact of available investment."

Private sector mobilization at scale

Alain Ebobissé, CEO of Africa50, emphasized how country platforms accelerate private investment by providing strong government coordination.

"For private sector deals to move fast, you need strong coordination," Ebobissé said. "When countries have clear plans and ownership for bringing in private capital, we can achieve speed and scale."

Africa50's Project Development Fund, supported through the Alliance for Green Infrastructure in Africa, demonstrates how early-stage project preparation attracts private capital within country-led frameworks.

Key success factors identified

The discussion revealed critical success factors: high-level government leadership with cross-sector coordination mandate; early engagement with social partners and private sector; clear articulation of national development priorities; innovative financial instruments including blended finance and risk-sharing mechanisms; and significant investment in project pipeline development.

Nnenna Nwabufo, AfDB's Vice President for Regional Development, Integration & Business Development, emphasized the shift from discussion to implementation.

"Country platforms are among the most effective tools for unlocking transformative development finance," Nwabufo said. "With the right enabling environment and strong institutional coordination, we can crowd in private investment at the scale Africa needs."

The African Development Bank remains committed to supporting country-led platforms through technical assistance, financing, policy-based loans, and institutional capacity building aligned with Africa's development agenda.

Cover photo: By AFDB