Experts urge inclusion of African data in proposed global inequality panel

The proposed International Panel on Inequality, modeled after the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, aims to provide a permanent scientific body within the multilateral system to assess inequality globally. This initiative, supported by Brazil, Norway, South Africa, Spain, and Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz, was endorsed by the African Union in February 2026. South Africa plans to present a resolution at the UN General Assembly to establish the panel.

Experts caution that the panel’s usefulness will depend on whether its assessments reflect the realities of regions where inequality is most severe, particularly Africa. Current global inequality frameworks often rely on data and institutional assumptions from high-income countries, which may not capture the continent’s unique labor markets and informal employment dynamics.

To address this, the African Centre of Excellence for Inequality Research has been producing country-specific inequality analyses in collaboration with African researchers and national statistical offices. Their work, including the African Inequality Review, aims to close the knowledge gap by providing African-led assessments grounded in local institutions and labor markets.

The African Inequality Review will launch new cross-country research and build a public resource linking the continent’s inequality datasets. It emphasizes research designed with policymakers to better inform decisions. Given that sub-Saharan Africa is projected to account for over half of global population growth and most economically active population growth this century, integrating African evidence is critical for shaping the future of global inequality understanding and policy.