The Open Society Foundations (OSF) announced Monday evening in Dakar the launch of three significant multi-year programs designed to bolster civic engagement, economic prosperity, and peacebuilding across the African continent.
This initiative extends the foundation’s four-decade commitment to African citizens, institutions, and governments. The new programs are titled “Africa’s Democratic Future,” “Africa’s Resource Future,” and “Transformative Peace in Africa.”
“I see so much talent, energy, and innovation across all sectors working toward a democratic and prosperous Africa,” stated Binaifer Nowrojee, President of Open Society Foundations, during the Dakar announcement. These three programs prioritize an approach where Africa “takes charge of its own destiny” and asserts its place in global governance, giving precedence to community organizations and locally defined solutions.
Alex Soros, Chairman of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, emphasized, “We are not here to impose solutions, but to support and amplify efforts already underway on the ground.”
Three strategic areas of focus
“Democratic Future in Africa” (Eight-year program): This initiative aims to reinvent politics and governance, drawing inspiration from the Ubuntu philosophy, which emphasizes dignity, justice, and solidarity. It will focus on Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Sahelian countries. Program director Chukwuemeka Eze noted that it particularly draws on youth movements observed in Kenya, Senegal, and Nigeria, viewed as “a call for a more inclusive politics.”
“Resource Futures in Africa” (Five-year program): Targeting resource-rich nations such as the DRC, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mozambique, and Ghana, this program seeks to ensure that Africa’s strategic minerals primarily benefit local populations rather than solely global markets.
“Transformative Peace in Africa”: This program will operate in conflict and post-conflict zones, including Mozambique, Sudan, the DRC, and Sahel countries. It promotes peacebuilding efforts centered on justice, inclusion, and local leadership, with a particular focus on empowering women.
All three programs will pay special attention to youth, women, and historically marginalized groups, reflecting the foundation’s “deep faith in African innovation, wisdom, and leadership.”
The Open Society Foundations identify themselves as the world’s largest private funder supporting independent groups dedicated to advancing rights, equity, and justice.
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