The African Union Commission (AUC) has signed grant agreements with 13 leading African think tanks, grouped into three pan-African consortia, marking the official launch of the Africa Think Tank Platform (ATTP). The initiative is designed to strengthen evidence-based policymaking across the continent and support the accelerated implementation of Agenda 2063, Africa’s long-term development framework.
The Africa Think Tank Platform is a five-year, $50 million programme funded by the World Bank Group and implemented by the African Union Commission in collaboration with the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) and the African Union Development Agency–NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD). Under the new agreements, $24.2 million will be disbursed in phases to support research collaboration, institutional strengthening, and the development of policy-oriented solutions for Africa’s cross-border development challenges.
The selected think tanks will work through three consortia, each bringing together institutions from multiple regions of Africa. These include the Research Alliance for Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Development (RAISED), the Consortium for Africa Cross-Border Evidence and Policy Sovereignty (CACEPS), and Building Resilience and Impact through Dialogue and Galvanising Action for Evidence-Informed Policymaking (BRIDGE) Africa. Together, they represent a broad network of research institutions focused on economic development, governance, climate resilience, trade, health, and regional cooperation.
Through the initiative, participating think tanks will generate actionable policy evidence aligned with key Agenda 2063 priorities. Their work will support African Union Member States and Regional Economic Communities in translating continental commitments into practical national and regional policies, strengthening the link between research and implementation.
The programme will focus on six strategic areas, including economic transformation and governance, regional trade, climate change, food security, human capital development, and digitalization. These themes reflect some of the continent’s most urgent development priorities and are intended to guide coordinated, evidence-based policy responses.
African Union leadership described the initiative as a major investment in Africa’s intellectual and policy capacity. The Africa Think Tank Platform is expected to strengthen the role of African research institutions in shaping development strategies, ensuring that policy solutions are grounded in African expertise and contribute to measurable progress toward Agenda 2063 goals.
