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African and OECD policy makers gathered on 29 November 2019 in Madrid to join Europe’s largest annual conversation on Africa’s ongoing transformation. The 17th International Economic Forum on Africa, jointly organised by the African Union, the Government of Spain, the OECD Development Centre and partners, focused on the theme, “Africa’s integration: Investing in our common future.” With the African population set to hit 2 billion by 2030, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) raises new hopes of an integrated market to support the continent’s industrialisation and productive transformation. However, discussions highlighted that African firms remain ill-equipped to withstand the competition of global players. Read on