The Annual Trends and Outlook Report released by the Regional Strategic Analysis and Knowledge Support System is upbeat that most low income African countries will be middle income within 15 years. Although this is welcome news, it should not send the continent to a relax mode.

It is no secret that though endowed with tremendous physical and intellectual resources; the continent is home to two thirds of the world’s least developed countries. It is ranked the lowest of all continents on the UNDP’s Human Development Index and scores poorly on research and innovation indices. Over 90% of the continent’s major decision body budget –the African Union -- is donor funded.

Clearly, while the hype on a resurging Africa hits crescendo level, constituencies of Africans who are not experiencing the windfall from the resurgence are questioning who is reaping from the surge. The continent’s policymakers need to lay strategies that will make this forecasted transformation inclusive, broad and felt among ordinary citizens to make up for the lost decades.