AU launches new platform to strengthen research, policy

The African Union Commission (AUC) has launched the Africa Think Tank Platform (ATTP), aiming to strengthen Africa's capacity for effective policy research and evidence-based policymaking on cross-border priorities. The platform was launched on Thursday, July 24, in partnership with the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) and the World Bank Group. Rwanda to become hub for AI research in Africa The World Bank-funded project will be implemented by the AU Commission. The launch event served as an occasion to open a call for proposals, whereby competitive grants will be provided for think tanks to conduct policy research, support policy uptake, and build institutional capacity. It prioritizes applications from consortia of three to five African think tanks—groups of institutions working together across borders and disciplines. ALSO READ: Make Artificial Intelligence work for Africa – Kagame They will receive multi-year funding for collaborative, policy-relevant research across six thematic areas. These include economic transformation and governance, climate change, regional trade, food security, human capital development, and digitalization. “Thanks to the World Bank Group and the AUC, $50 million is available to think tanks to serve as an engine for transformation, driven by African thought, African evidence, and African solutions,” said Abdrahmane Dicko, the Director, Programs and Impact Department at the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), speaking during the launch. Between three and five consortia will be selected and awarded grants of approximately $10 million for up to two and a half years to support programmes aligned with the aspirations of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and regional integration priorities. At its core, the ATTP seeks to strengthen the interface between policy formulation and African-led research. Amb. Selma Malika Haddadi, the Deputy Chairperson of the AU Commission said the new platform aligns with the Commission's broader efforts to institutionalize a culture of performance, results, and accountability through integrated planning, monitoring, and evaluation.

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AU launches new platform to strengthen research, policy