With the G20 heads of state summit drawing closer, Africa is racing to rally global support for its agenda. South Africa's presidency is seeking to drive consensus and action on priority issues like climate finance, debt relief, global financial reform, and inequality. But why should leaders outside of Africa take on these challenges with the same gusto as Africa's leaders? Because it is in their self-interest to do so. Success or failure in these matters will have far-reaching implications not only for Africa's future, but for the world's collective stability and prosperity.
The 21st century is unmistakably the African century. The continent is undergoing a major demographic transformation that has magnified its role in the global order. Approximately 1.5bn people or 18 of the global population currently live in Africa. However, by 2050, the UN projects that 2.5bn people - or 25 of the world's population at the time - will be living on the continent. Its share of the world's population is set to reach close to 40 percent by 2100.
Indeed, five of the eight countries expected to drive more than half of global population growth over the next three decades are African. These include the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Egypt. The working-age population in these African countries, and in many others across the continent, will grow faster than any other age group. In contrast, many other regions face stagnating or declining populations, underscoring Africa's centrality to future migration flows, labour markets, supply chains, innovation, and global demand.