News 27 of 193

IDRC Vice President, Programs, Rohinton Medhora, and Mark Suzman, director of policy and advocacy for the Global Development Program at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announce US $30 million in grants to African think tanks. IDRC photo

The Think Tank Initiative launched its Africa program at the annual meetings of the African Development Bank in Dakar, Senegal on May 11.

Think Tank Initiative supporters — Canada’s International Development Research Centre, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation — pledged US$30 million in grants to 24 African think tanks in 11 countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, and Uganda.

The partners have committed a total of US$90 million to the Think Tank Initiative over five years. Programming will expand to Latin American and South Asia.

Launch activities included a press conference and a panel on the importance of supporting independent policy research organizations in Africa.

“The value of providing think tanks with enduring, long-term support cannot be overstated,” said Rohinton Medhora, IDRC vice-president, Programs, at the event. “Predictable core funding gives institutions the certainty and continuity they need to build skills that can lead to path-breaking work and constructive public policy influence.”

Representatives from the grantee organizations attended the event and met for two days afterwards.

View the list of grant recipients

Read the press release

2009-05

News 27 of 193