Citi Perspectives Spring 2020

54 | Treasury and Trade Solutions Conclusion Africa’s success in addressing its development challenges will be a major determinant of its economic progress and social stability in the coming decades. Despite being one of the lowest overall contributors to global carbon emissions, Africa will be among the first to suffer the consequences of climate change; action is essential. The median age in Africa is 19.7 years 4 old, making it the world’s youngest population. If the continent’s hundreds of millions of young people are to gain the opportunity to put their talents to work, Africa’s industry must flourish, access to basic services expanded, agriculture modernized and capacity for innovation harnessed. The UN 2030 SDGs are a valuable framework for Africa to assess its response and for corporates and public sector entities to tailor their strategies. Citi welcomes the growing importance of ESG issues in Africa and is committed to put its expertise, experience and capabilities to work to enable its clients achieve their SDG targets and make a real difference to sustainable development on the continent. 4 Source: https://www.africa.undp.org/content/rba/en/home/blog/2017/8/7/africa_defining_challenge.html