Our goal is a world free of poverty. To get there, we must accelerate poverty reduction in Africa. Although the share of Africa's population living in extreme poverty has come down substantially, from 54 percent in 1990 to 41 percent in 2015, more Africans are living in poverty today than in 1990, in part because of population growth. In fact, the world's poor are increasingly concentrated in Africa. Tackling this challenge begins with being able to measure it robustly. Following Poverty in a Rising Africa - the precursor to this report, which mapped the data landscape - efforts to improve Africa's poverty data are starting to pay off. More and better household surveys are now available to track and analyse poverty. And Africa's Statistical Capacity Indicator - which grades country statistical systems on the quality, frequency, and timeliness of core economic and social data - has been improving. The key features of Africa's poverty, and its causes, have been widely documented. But some of the challenges, such as climate change, fragility, and debt pressures, are gaining in importance. And although macroeconomic stability and growth are critical components for reducing poverty and improving well-being, they are not sufficient. Despite economic growth in Africa, the region's persistently rapid population growth, structural impediments (low human capital, persistent gender inequality, and large infrastructure deficits), and increasing reliance on natural resources continue to hold back poverty reduction. This report revisits the challenges and opportunities to tackle Africa's poverty, drawing on the latest evidence. It focuses on the income opportunities of the poor, the policies needed to support these opportunities, and the resources needed to finance pro-poor investments. A pro-poor agenda means generating more formal jobs while working to increase the incomes of smallholder farmers and informal workers in secondary towns and strengtheningtheir capacity to manage risks. This approach is how the poor will likely benefit the most.
