Fifty-eighth session Economic Commission for Africa Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development

Remarks by Ms Ahunna Eziakonwa, 

UN Assistant-Secretary General 

and UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa Director

Press Conference

Tangier, Morocco (hybrid), 2 April 2026

Africa is being hit by another external shock. This time, the impacts are felt much faster, the vulnerabilities are starker, but the opportunities are clearer.

After a little over one month of military escalation in the Middle East, the effects are already cascading across African economies: fuel prices rising, goods and food costs climbing, and critically, fertilizer prices are surging by over 30%.

Fertilizers are not a side issue. They are the backbone of food production.

When fertilizer prices rise, farmers use less. When farmers use less, yields drop. And when yields drop, food prices rise and food insecurity deepens.

We have seen this before. During the global shocks linked to the war in Ukraine, reduced fertilizer access translated directly into lower agricultural output and increased risks of food insecurity across parts of the continent.

But here is the shift: this time, Africa is better positioned to respond.

Several countries, such as Morocco, Nigeria, and Egypt, are major fertilizer producers. Others are investing in local blending facilities and regional supply chains. 

This is how what was once a point of vulnerability, could actually become a source of strength.

This is the opportunity in front of us. Africa can move from being a price-taker in global markets to building more self-reliant, regionally integrated supply systems.

That means scaling up local production.
It means strengthening intra-African trade.
And it means ensuring fertilizers, for example, are accessible and affordable for farmers across borders.

The same logic applies more broadly.

Energy shocks are pushing countries to accelerate renewables and rethink dependence on imported fuel.
Trade disruptions are reinforcing the urgency of the African Continental Free Trade Area as a resilience tool; not just a trade agreement.

And across the board, there is a growing recognition that Africa cannot continue to outsource its stability.

Some countries will benefit in the short term, particularly energy and commodity exporters seeing higher prices and new markets. But the real win is collective.

The real opportunity is for African countries to act together, to build regional value chains, align policies, and invest in shared infrastructure that reduces exposure to external shocks. Extract, produce in Africa, for Africa.

As all countries in Africa are faced with global external shocks, resilience at the national level is necessary…but it is not enough. We need planned and coordinated continental resilience.

Let’s be clear: these global shocks are not going away. They are becoming more frequent, more structural.

So, the choice is simple. Africa can continue to absorb these shocks and try and recover over several years or even decades; or African governments can, today, decide to fundamentally reduce their dependence.

At UNDP, we see this as a turning point. 

Not just to respond, but to reposition. Not just to try and recover quickly, but to rebuild smarter. At UNDP, we believe that Africa has moved from reacting to crises to preparing for them. And now, it is time to reshape the systems behind them

This is not just another shock to manage; it is a chance for Africa to build self-reliant, regional supply systems

The future of Africa’s food systems, energy systems, and economies does not have to be determined by crises elsewhere.

It should be shaped here, on the continent, through shared ambition, smarter investment, and stronger cooperation.