Call for Applications: Identification of Country Partners in Angola, Equatorial Guinea and São Tomé and Príncipe

The Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) is an economic union of 11 countries created to facilitate regional development and integration. ECCAS includes Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo Republic, DR Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, and São Tomé and Príncipe. The level of development of the ECCAS region is far from matching its immense socio-economic potential and abundance of natural resources. Furthermore, ECCAS has a low level of economic integration, which has direct implications for the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union’s Agenda 2063. The region is often singled out for its governance, which is not always up to international standards, and frequent intercommunal and transnational conflicts.

Think tanks, or independent policy research institutions, are critical in promoting open governance, accountability, the rule of law, and respect for basic human rights. Unfortunately, ECCAS think tanks remain institutionally fragile and have been unable to exert real influence in promoting the emergence of an open society in this region. To see major progress in the ECCAS region regarding curbing the rise in authoritarianism and the emergence of a democratic society, the voices of independent think tanks must be significantly strengthened.

The countries concerned by this open call are: Angola, Equatorial Guinea and São Tomé and Príncipe. Think tanks selected in these countries will work with the think tanks already selected in the other 8 countries of the ECCAS region, namely: Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo Republic, DR Congo, Gabon, Rwanda.

Objectives

•  The specific objectives of the project are to:
  • Strengthen the ability of ECCAS think tanks to influence policy at the local, regional, and continental levels;
  • Enhance the leadership capacity of think tank researchers, especially women researchers (leadership and capacity development) to produce high-quality policy research and advocacy; and
  • Expand the visibility and reach of ECCAS think tanks across the continent and globally.

Objectives of the Call

• The Nkafu Policy Institute, the project implementer, is working in partnership with selected think tanks from the ECCAS region to achieve the project’s expected results. Each selected country will conduct policy research in each country, participate in multiple events organized within the framework of the project (working sessions, panel discussions, training workshops, seminars, and annual forums). The project directly support partner think tanks to strengthen their capacity and advocacy reach. Emphasis will be placed on supporting women think tank leaders and researchers. The project also allows the improvement of collaboration between think tanks, policymakers (national and international), and civil society actors in the ECCAS region toward the goal of curbing authoritarianism, addressing security sector challenges, promoting women’s rights as well as democratic and accountable governance.

Funding Information

• The estimated budget for each selected country is USD 10,000 each, with an implementation deadline (thematic policy research on its area of competency) of 8 months.
• The Nkafu Policy Institute will send an official invitation letter to pre-selected think tanks in these three countries of the ECCAS region (Angola, Equatorial Guinea, São Tomé and Príncipe) for them to pursue the selection process. However, think tanks that will not receive an official letter by the end of the month of December 2023 but are interested in participating in the project activities, are encouraged to submit a formal request to the Nkafu Policy Institute.

Expectations of country Partners

• This project targets think tanks in Angola, Equatorial Guinea, São Tomé and Príncipe to ensure thematic research writing through data collection and analysis, and participation in key major events and capacity building workshops. Project activities include:
  • Signature of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) and activity agreement
  • Undertake thematic policy research on its area of competency (1 flagship report, 1 policy brief, 1opinion piece)
  • Participate in all activities to be organized as part of the implementation of the project (publications, trainings, workshops, debates, webinars, forums, Leadership and Advocacy Programs, etc.).
  • Be members of the platform of a group of eleven (11) think tanks (one per country) that will be set up to fine-tune the strategy to promote women’s rights, accountability, security, and integrated governance within the ECCAS region.
  • Prepare and submit a Country Project Impact and Evaluation.
  • Monitoring of the research activitiesin its country.

Eligibility Criteria

• This call is open only to independent think tanks in Angola, Equatorial Guinea and São Tomé and Príncipe that are legally registered under the laws of these countries.

Language

• Applications can be submitted in French or English. Expertise in both languages will be of added value.

For more information, visit Nkafu Policy Institute.