2020 Africa Think Tank Summit

February 26-28, Cape Town, South Africa

Organized by The African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD), The South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), and TTCSP, with the support of our global partners and planning committee, the 2020 Africa Think Tank Summit took place on 26 -28 February in Cape Town, South Africa.

The 2020 Africa Summit in the beautiful city of Cape Town, South Africa witnessed the gathering of over 90 African think tanks and stakeholders - thinkers, policymakers and government representatives from all over the continent to discuss innovative ideas to strengthen the work of African think tanks. Under the theme "Repositioning Africa's Think Tanks to realize the power and potential of partnerships in domestic policy and world politics," discussions were animated and touched on issues around security, economic development, the rise of foreign investment and the future of African youth. 

There was wide representation at the conference with 69 delegates from 21 African countries and 24 delegates from 8 non-African countries. In the spirit of inclusivity and continental collaboration, linguistic diversity was acknowledged with a total of 25 French-speaking delegates and 68 English speaking delegates. 

Through a series of speaker series', panels, breakout sessions, and informal networking, delegates were able to share ideas and provide dynamic and pragmatic steps to improving the work of think tanks on the continent. Some panel highlights included 'The impact of the foreign investment in African sovereignty', 'The future of Africa and technology', and 'Managing Employment and the Youth Dividends.' Although discussions were varied and ideas wide-ranging, the general tenor of the discussions gravitated towards redefining the role of civil society actors and the need for more effective and accountable governments as a means of transforming the socio-political landscape of the continent. The summit ended with delegates having established strong organizational networks and brimming with new and dynamic ideas for continental transformation. 

Participant Biographies

(Updated as of March 7th 2020)

Summit Agenda

(Updated as of March 7th 2020)

Summit Logistics

(Updated as of March 7th 2020).