The African Capacity Building (ACBF), the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the Think Tank and Civil Society Programme of the University of Pennsylvania (TTCSP) have partnered to hold the Second Africa Think Tank Summit, on the theme, The Rise of Africa’s Think Tanks – Practical Solutions to Practical Problems from 6-8 April at the United Nations Conference Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The aim of the Summit is to explore the ways in which Africa’s think tanks are currently making a difference in the continent’s transformation, and how they can become increasingly relevant and important contributors as the vision for Africa in 2063 rolls out.
The TTCSP has been organizing a series of regional and global “think tank summits”, bringing together professionals of top-ranked think tanks to connect as a trade association for networking, reflection and discussions on the pressing issues of the day. Over nine summits have been held so far, including regional convocations for Asia, Africa, Europe, Middle East, Latin America and North America, the G20 countries, and most recently a Global Think Tank Summit in Geneva.
In attendance will be representatives from major Think Tanks, including Emmanuel Nnadozie, Executive Secretary, ACBF, Carlos Lopes, Executive Secretary, ECA, Arkebe Oqubay Minister and Special Adviser to the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Ms. Monde Muyangwa, Director, Africa Program, Woodrow Wilson Centre Prof. Lemma W. Senbet, Executive Director, Africa Economic Research Consortium, among others.
The First Africa Think Tank Summit was held on 3-5 February 2014 at the Pride of Africa Irene Country Lodge in Pretoria, South Africa. It was organized in a partnership between the ACBF, the African Leadership Center, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Konrad-Andenauer-Stiftung, TTCSP, and the Institute for Security Studies as the host. Over 50 of the leading think tanks from 25 countries in Africa participated in the Summit, including the think tanks and policy institutes supported by ACBF. The Summit focused on the organizational and policy challenges facing think tanks in the region and how they might increase their sustainability, value and impact. The participants made a number of important recommendations that fall into four areas: capacity development, knowledge sharing and networking, resource mobilization and regionally based initiatives and partnerships.
All media are welcome to attend a press conference scheduled on Wednesday 8 April 2015 at the UN Conference Centre.
For media interviews, please contact
John Kaninda
Senior Communications Officer, ACBF,
