On Saturday, October 3, 2026, the Heads of State and Government of the five founding countries of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD)—namely Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria, Senegal, and South Africa—gathered in Egypt and adopted the Al-Alamein Declaration. This followed a summit dedicated to reviewing the 25-year journey of NEPAD, which has since become the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), at a time when Africa’s population stands at approximately 1.58 billion and its GDP is estimated at $3 trillion, according to the United Nations and the World Bank.
Established in 2001 by five founding nations, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD)—now known as AUDA-NEPAD—serves as the African Union’s development agency responsible for implementing the continent’s development policies. It brings together 55 countries representing a combined GDP estimated at $3 trillion by the African Development Bank (AfDB). Twenty-five years after its inception, the time has come to assess the actions taken to date. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye welcomes the progress achieved while acknowledging the challenges facing the partnership.
We gather here today as a symbol, twenty-five years after the creation of NEPAD in 2001. This reminds us of the founding pact: to eradicate poverty and promote growth and sustainable development across Africa. On this foundation, undeniable progress has been made in delivering major infrastructure, developing human capital, and boosting intra-African trade.
Bassirou Diomaye Faye, President of Senegal
With 12 of the world’s 20 fastest-growing economies, Africa could achieve a growth rate of 4.5% by 2027, according to the AfDB. Speaking in El Alamein, the President of Senegal emphasizes preserving the spirit of the founding fathers and making development a collective responsibility by leveraging the continent’s resources and fostering African integration.
We must preserve the spirit that guided the creation of NEPAD—namely, making the continent’s development a collective responsibility and leveraging our assets, such as our youthful population, our agricultural potential (including arable land), and the vast resources with which Africa is richly endowed. Secondly, we must consolidate the strategic development of regional infrastructure to facilitate the movement of people and goods and foster greater economic integration across the continent.
Bassirou Diomaye Faye, President of Senegal
Over the past 25 years, this institution—which began as a shared statement of intent—has evolved into a development tool with a measurable track record in infrastructure, agriculture, health, climate resilience, gender equality, and youth empowerment. In terms of trade and connectivity, for instance, AUDA-NEPAD’s One-Stop Border Post program has expanded from a single crossing at Chirundu (between Zambia and Zimbabwe) in 2009 to 32 operational posts by 2025. With a population of 1.58 billion, a GDP of $3 trillion, and 60% of its people under the age of 25, Africa is organizing its market, with a target date set for 2027. By then, the El Alamein Investment Platform aims to help bridge the 68–108 billion infrastructure gap that continues to hold the continent back—a challenge that is truly Pan-African in scope.
