Africa Policy Institute

The Africa Policy Institute (API) is an independent pan-African think tank specializing on security, governance and foreign policy. It is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya and maintains networks across Africa.

API undertakes independent, authoritative and policy-relevant research^[1], provides expert analysis and advice to policy actors, undertakes practical training and technical assistance to policy processes, and organizes dialogues on issues of policy concern to Africa and its international partners. API works to enhance the capacity of policy actors to effectively respond to regional and global challenges in a wide spectrum of areas including: violent extremism and other transnational security threats, key foreign policy issues such as Africa-China relations, protracted conflicts; election-related instability, humanitarian diplomacy, refugees and forced migration, resources and climate change.

History

2004

The Africa Policy Institute (API) was conceived in 2004 by a group of African academics and policy actors working with think tanks, universities, governments and regional organizations following the inauguration of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union in May 2004. Its founders sought to address a new gap of providing authoritative and policy-relevant research, expert advice and analysis as well as practical training and technical assistance to policy actors in African governments and the continent’s emerging regional institutions within the framework of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA).

2001-2004

These experts had provided technical support to the intense policy processes that gave rise to African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) in 2001-2004, which also included support to the development of the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC), New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), the Common Security and Defence Policy for Africa (CDSP), Pan-African Parliament (PAP) among other regional institutions.

2005-2007

API undertook work informally in 2005-2006, and was eventually registered in January 2007 in South Africa. API was also created to respond to the festering conflict in Africa, and to support post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development processes as well as response to transnational security threats.

2007-present

API contributed to the policy process that defined South Africa’s agenda in the UN Security Council (2007-2008. It also provided technical support to the taskforce of the Ministry of Foreign Affair, Kenya, that developed the Kenya Foreign Policy and Kenya’s Foreign Policy Strategy now driving Kenya’s diplomacy. API marked its 10th Anniversary in 2018.

Initiatives and Observatories

API’s work is organized around five thematic initiatives and observatories. These include:

• Democracy & Resilience Initiative (DRI) ^[2].
• Observatory on Security and Violent Extremism (OSVE)^[3].
• Observatory on China-Africa Relations (OSCAR)^[4].
• The Indo-Pacific Corridor Initiative (IPCI) ^[5].
• Humanitarian Diplomacy Initiative (HDI)^[6].

Partnerships & Networks

API has Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with universities such as the University of Nairobi and think tanks, including the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), the Shanghai Institute of International Studies (SIIS). Through its API Academy, the institute has secured scholarships for graduate and post-graduate students and coordinated exchange programmes.

API experts have been involved in African academic networks and think tanks, including the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (Codesria), Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) and OSSREA.

API is a founding member and a member of the steering committee of the RESOLVE Network or Researching Solutions to Violent Extremism, that brings together the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), Institute of Security Studies (ISS-Africa), Geneva Center for Security Policy (GCSP), Royal United Services InstituteRUSI and Hedeya (UAE).

API experts have supported the development of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development(IGAD) Regional Strategy on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism. It has also provided technical services in the policy process leading IGAD’s Nairobi Declaration on Durable Solutions for Somali Refugees and Rehabilitation of Returnees (2017) and its Nairobi Plan of Action on Durable Solutions for Somali Refugees and Rehabilitation of Returnees (2017). Its Ukumbi Policy Forum has evolved into a platform for partners to exchange ideas on topical issues of relevant to policy actors.

Publications

API’s Africa Research Notes Series provide a forum for sharing data, useful information and perspectives on topical issues of concern to the policy and research communities. The short research articles, abridged versions of research agendas, brief reports on-going research or policy forums published under this series cut across disciplines and provide a basis for in-depth research and analysis. API also publishes and shares its Africa Policy Brief Series, Working Papers, and Books and Monographs^[7]. During its tenth anniversary, API launched its Africa Policy Review as its flagship journal.

Reception

API is one of the leading African think tanks. Its experts have been invited to global forums such as World Peace Forum, the Tana Forum on African Security, Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) among others. Its works is widely published or cited by professional refereed publications such as Journal of African Affairs, news stories by Xinhua, Reuters among others. API experts have provided expert analysis to main media houses and outlets, including BBC, CNN, CGTN^[8], CCTV, Citizen TV, Kenya Television Network (KTN), NTV (Kenya)(NTV)^[9], South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). Many have been invited to write pieces and run columns for Sunday Nation, China Daily^[10], The Christian Science Monitor and The EastAfrican.

References

External links

• Official website

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