Fourth Industrial Development Decade for Africa (2026–2035)

A/RES/80/257View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 13 Integrated and coordinated implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits in the economic, social and related fields, published in 2026.

What other versions does this mandate have?

4 versions · 1993–2026

Year	Symbol	Title	Word length	Text similarity
2026	A/RES/80/257	Fourth Industrial Development Decade for Africa (2026–2035)	2,499	35%Compare
2016	A/RES/70/293	Third Industrial Development Decade for Africa (2016-2025)	1,519	10%Compare
2002	A/RES/56/187	Second Industrial Development Decade for Africa (1993-2002)	1,518	—
1993	A/RES/47/177	Second Industrial Development Decade for Africa, 1991-2000	—	–

What subjects does this mandate have?

2 subjects

Africa Industrial Development

What’s in this document?

18 operative paragraphs

Proclaims the period 2026–2035 as the Fourth Industrial Development Decade for Africa, with the aim of accelerating inclusive, sustainable and resilient industrial transformation across the African continent;

Calls upon the African Union Commission, the African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for Africa’s Development, the Economic Commission for Africa and, specifically, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, to develop, operationalize and lead the implementation of the Fourth Industrial Development Decade for Africa (2026–2035) in accordance with its mandate, and through voluntary contributions, in collaboration with relevant United Nations entities, regional economic communities, development finance institutions, the private sector and other stakeholders, in alignment with Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,⁷ while promoting synergy, coherence and accountability in delivering results at the national, regional and continental levels;

⁷Resolution 70/1.

Encourages the Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization to mobilize adequate resources for the implementation of the Fourth Decade;

Reiterates that African countries have primary responsibility for their own economic and social development and that the role of national policies and development strategies cannot be overemphasized, bearing in mind the need for their development efforts to be supported by an enabling international economic environment;

Invites, as appropriate, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, as the United Nations specialized agency for industrialization, in close collaboration with the African Union, to scale up its technical assistance to African countries in accordance with its mandate to promote inclusive and sustainable industrial development for the successful implementation of the Fourth Decade;

Also invites the United Nations Industrial Development Organization to foster partnerships, as appropriate, with other relevant entities in the United Nations development system, such as the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the International Labour Organization, the United Nations Environment Programme, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the United Nations Development Programme, and to promote the necessary linkages to develop joint initiatives in favour of industrialization, including technology transfer, on mutually agreed terms, access to information and communications technology, productive diversification, agribusiness value chain development, trade, capacity-building, renewable energy and energy efficiency, industrial policy, special economic zones and industrial parks, action on climate change and human capital development, while also strengthening public-private partnerships with a range of stakeholders, including those in the public and the private sectors, civil society organizations and academia;

Calls for enhanced international cooperation, including North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation, in support of Africa’s industrialization, including through the implementation of the Fourth Decade, and reaffirms that South-South cooperation is not a substitute for, but is rather a complement to, North-South cooperation;

Invites the international community, particularly bilateral and multilateral partners, the United Nations system, global and regional financial institutions, in particular the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the New Development Bank and the African Development Bank, in accordance with their respective mandates, to ensure full support for the implementation of programmes for the Fourth Decade at the national and subregional levels;

Requests the Secretary-General to support, within existing resources, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization in its assistance to the African Union, African countries and regional organizations in the implementation of programmes for the Fourth Decade;

Emphasizes the importance of allowing sufficient time between the proclamation and the commencement of implementation to facilitate inclusive and comprehensive consultations, coordination and planning at the national, regional and international levels, ensuring the preparation, endorsement and launch of a well-aligned, results-oriented work programme for Africa’s industrial transformation;

Expresses its commitment to the collective implementation of the Fourth Industrial Development Decade for Africa, as a contribution to the realization of Agenda 2063;

Calls upon all Member States, the private sector and civil society to actively engage in the implementation of the Fourth Industrial Development Decade for Africa, recognizing its centrality to achieving sustainable and inclusive economic transformation on the continent, and urges the international community to continue and enhance support for Africa’s industrialization efforts, aligning their strategies with those of national Governments and regional and continental intergovernmental organizations, including through financial and technical assistance, trade facilitation, investment promotion, capacity-building and access to science, technology and innovation;

Emphasizes the importance of regional integration, including through the African Continental Free Trade Area, in alignment with the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as well as the goals to ensure coherence with the aspirations of the African people as reflected in Agenda 2063, as a foundation for advancing industrialization and economic transformation in Africa;

Encourages the establishment of national and regional industrial development programmes to integrate industrialization along strategic transport corridors, support value chain development, foster innovation, enhance technological capabilities and develop competitive industries, while creating decent jobs and ensuring social inclusivity;

Reaffirms the necessity of a strong enabling environment for industrial development, including sound economic policies, quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, skilled labour, improved access to finance, and enhanced regional and global connectivity, to advance inclusive and sustainable industrialization in Africa;

Encourages the strengthening of monitoring and reporting at the national level on the implementation of the Fourth Industrial Development Decade for Africa, including through existing reporting mechanisms;

Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its eighty-fifth session, under the item entitled “Eradication of poverty and other development issues”, a sub‑item entitled “Fourth Industrial Development Decade for Africa (2026–2035)”;

Requests the Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization to submit to the General Assembly at its eighty-fifth session, through the Secretary-General, a progress report on the implementation of the Fourth Decade.

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

What other versions does this mandate have?

What subjects does this mandate have?

What’s in this document?

Table of contents