From November 3 to 5, 2025, Palermo, Italy, will host the inaugural AGORA – Africa Growth and Opportunity: Research in Action conference, a flagship gathering launched by the World Bank Group Institute for Economic Development together with Italian partners and African institutions.

AGORA is more than a conference; it’s a new instrument for inclusive dialogue, research-driven policy, and cross-continental collaboration. Named after the ancient Greek public forum, its aim is to catalyze evidence-based action for Africa’s development.

Why AGORA is Important?

Africa confronts a stark challenge: every year more than 10 million young people enter the labor market, yet formal job creation lags far behind.

AGORA seeks to address this by putting forward actionable insights and aligning stakeholders around two pivotal themes:

• Growth & the Energy Transition
• Agricultural Transformation & Job Creation

By convening policymakers, development economists, private sector actors, and researchers from both Africa and Europe, AGORA bridges the traditional divide in development dialogues, reshaping them into genuinely co-owned, implementation-focused events.

What to Expect

AGORA 2025 will be a hybrid conference: held in-person in Palermo (Palazzo dei Normanni) and live-streamed globally.

The schedule includes:

• Keynote addresses examining Africa’s growth pathways
• High-level panels on jobs, energy, and agribusiness
• TED-style slots on innovation and technology for African development
• Roundtables, policy debates, interactive sessions with a close focus on how research becomes real-world change

Speakers include influential figures such as Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Agnes Kalibata, Jakkie Cilliers, and other leading economists, development practitioners, and policy leaders.

Event Contact: wbginstitute_contact@worldbank.org