AU commission launches platform to strengthen Africa’s research, policy

The African Union Commission, in collaboration with the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) and AUDA-NEPAD, has launched the Africa Think Tank Platform (ATTP).

ATTP aims to establish a sustainable platform to strengthen Africa’s capacity for effective policy research and evidence-based policymaking on cross-boundary priorities.
It is funded by the World Bank to the tune of $50m and implemented by the African Union Commission.

During the same event, the call for proposals was opened, offering  African think tanks an opportunity to pursue multi-year funding for collaborative, policy-relevant research across six thematic areas, including economic transformation and governance, climate change, regional trade, food security, human capital development, and digitalisation. 

Between three and five consortia will be selected and receive grants of approximately $10 million for up to two and a half (2.5) years to support programs aligned with the aspirations of Agenda 2063 and regional integration priorities.

Speaking during the launch on Thursday afternoon, the Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Amb. Selma Malika Haddadi said the new platform will be a game-changer for the continent.

“The platform aligns with the African Union Commission’s broader efforts to institutionalise a culture of performance, results, and accountability through integrated planning, monitoring, and evaluation. At its core, the ATTP seeks to strengthen the interface between policy formulation and African-led research,” she said.

According to the deputy chairperson of the African Union Commission, initiatives like the ATTP serve to reinforce critical instruments such as the Continental Results Framework (CRF), the Science, Technology, and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA-2024), and the AU Data Policy Framework.

“Each of these frameworks depends on systematic generation, dissemination, and application of knowledge to drive coherent action across national, regional, and continental levels. The ATTP will support this effort by enabling high-quality policy research that is responsive to continental priorities and attuned to national contexts.”

These opportunities and constraints call for policies that are evidence-based, regionally coordinated, and grounded in the Continent’s realities.