Press Release: AU Commission launches new platform to strengthen Africa’s research, policy

The platform was launched on Thursday in partnership with the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), and the World Bank Group.

The World Bank-funded project will be implemented by the African Union Commission (AUC).
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.

Amb. Selma Malika Haddadi, the Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission
It prioritizes applications from consortia of three to five African think tanks—groups of institutions working together across borders and disciplines.

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 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 programs 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 African Union 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.