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Africa Research Institute (ARI) is an independent not-for-profit
think-tank A think tank, or policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, technology, and culture. Most think tanks are non-governmental org ...
that was founded in February 2007. It is the only think-tank in the UK to focus exclusively on political, economic and social issues in
sub-Saharan Africa Sub-Saharan Africa is, geographically, the area and regions of the continent of Africa that lies south of the Sahara. These include West Africa, East Africa, Central Africa, and Southern Africa. Geopolitically, in addition to the List of sov ...
. ARI strives to inform domestic and international
policy making Policy is a deliberate system of guidelines to guide decisions and achieve rational outcomes. A policy is a statement of intent and is implemented as a procedure or protocol. Policies are generally adopted by a governance body within an organ ...
through publishing research and hosting interactive events. ARI's mission is to draw attention to ideas or policies that have worked in
Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
by highlighting and analysing best-practices in government, the economy and
civil society Civil society can be understood as the "third sector" of society, distinct from government and business, and including the family and the private sphere.conventional wisdom The conventional wisdom or received opinion is the body of ideas or explanations generally accepted by the public and/or by experts in a field. In religion, this is known as orthodoxy. Etymology The term is often credited to the economist John K ...
in and about
sub-Saharan Africa Sub-Saharan Africa is, geographically, the area and regions of the continent of Africa that lies south of the Sahara. These include West Africa, East Africa, Central Africa, and Southern Africa. Geopolitically, in addition to the List of sov ...
. It seeks to provide a nuanced and representative understanding of the region, as opposed to conventional "binary" depictions that often dominate the Western media. The organisation has published work on
urbanisation Urbanization (or urbanisation) refers to the population shift from rural to urban areas, the corresponding decrease in the proportion of people living in rural areas, and the ways in which societies adapt to this change. It is predominantly the ...
, political and institutional reform,
regional integration Regional Integration is a process in which neighboring countries enter into an agreement in order to upgrade cooperation through common institutions and rules. The objectives of the agreement could range from economic to political to enviro ...
, health and agriculture, amongst other issues.


History

Africa Research Institute was founded in February 2007. Its first publication, ''The Day After
Mugabe Robert Gabriel Mugabe (; ; 21 February 1924 – 6 September 2019) was a Zimbabwean revolutionary and politician who served as Prime Minister of Zimbabwe from 1980 to 1987 and then as President from 1987 to 2017. He served as Leader of the Z ...
: prospects for change in Zimbabwe'', collected a broad range of analysis and commentary from across the political spectrum, with perspectives from Africa, China, Europe and North America. The book was chosen as one of the "Best Books of 2007" by ''The Observer'' newspaper and reviewed by Spectator magazine. Since then, the institute has published numerous briefing notes, articles, papers and podcasts. All of ARI's publications are in English, with a select few also published in French. ARI also hosts events, in the form of panel discussions, round-tables, debates and book launches . Mark Ashurst, a former
Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a megacity, and is one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. According to Demo ...
correspondent for the ''Financial Times'' and
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
Africa, was the first director of ARI from 2007 to 2010. He was succeeded in 2011 by Edward Paice, a historian specialising in the
Horn of Africa The Horn of Africa (HoA), also known as the Somali Peninsula, is a large peninsula and geopolitical region in East Africa.Robert Stock, ''Africa South of the Sahara, Second Edition: A Geographical Interpretation'', (The Guilford Press; 2004), ...
and
Eastern Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territories make up Eastern Africa: Due to the historical ...
.


Publications

Africa Research Institute publishes works in five formats. All publications are freely available from the institute's website, and in hard copy upon request.


Policy voices

Africa Research Institute's ''Policy Voices'' series highlights instances of individual or group achievement that have important implications for policy. The contributors to this series are able to draw on extensive expertise in their respective specialist field. The Policy Voices series was launched in December 2008, with the publication of ''Feeding five thousand: the case for indigenous crops in Zimbabwe'' by Paul Chidara Muchineripi, and ''Think small: The example of small grants in
Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...
'' by Brian Donaldson. Other Policy Voices have covered diverse topics such as
urban planning Urban planning, also known as town planning, city planning, regional planning, or rural planning, is a technical and political process that is focused on the development and design of land use and the built environment, including air, water, ...
,
tax reform Tax reform is the process of changing the way taxes are collected or managed by the government and is usually undertaken to improve tax administration or to provide economic or social benefits. Tax reform can include reducing the level of taxatio ...
, political and
institutional reform Institutions are humanly devised structures of rules and norms that shape and constrain individual behavior. All definitions of institutions generally entail that there is a level of persistence and continuity. Laws, rules, social conventions a ...
, and
agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...
. In 2013, Africa Research Institute published its first Policy Voice in French, , by Kieran Holmes, Domitien Ndihokuwayo, and Chantal Ruvakubusa of the .


Counterpoints

The Counterpoints series seeks to critically analyse or challenge conventional assumptions about the continent. The first Counterpoints series was launched in 2010 with the publication of ''Why
Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
can make it big in
agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...
'', by Mark Ashurst and Stephen Mbithi; ''How intellectuals made history in
Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and Mozam ...
'' by Blessing-Miles Tendi; and ''Africa through my
television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...
'', by Michael Holden.


Briefing notes

ARI's Briefing Notes provide critical analyses of pertinent political and economic issues across the continent. Its first Briefing Note – ''Keeping peace in D.R. Congo'' – was published in December 2007, and analysed the prospects for the
United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or MONUSCO, an acronym based on its French name , is a United Nations peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) which was estab ...
(MONUC) in the DRC after 2007. Since then ARI has published a host of Briefing Notes on a vast array of subjects, including the use of
fertiliser A fertilizer (American English) or fertiliser (British English; see spelling differences) is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply plant nutrients. Fertilizers may be distinct from ...
subsidies A subsidy or government incentive is a form of financial aid or support extended to an economic sector (business, or individual) generally with the aim of promoting economic and social policy. Although commonly extended from the government, the ter ...
in
Malawi Malawi (; or aláwi Tumbuka: ''Malaŵi''), officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeast ...
, democratic
elections An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy has operate ...
, the role of China in Africa and
land reform Land reform is a form of agrarian reform involving the changing of laws, regulations, or customs regarding land ownership. Land reform may consist of a government-initiated or government-backed property redistribution, generally of agricultural ...
in
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
.


Conversations

The ''Conversations'' series offers insights into the perspectives of high-level politicians or
civil servants The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil servants hired on professional merit rather than appointed or elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leaders ...
on wide-ranging and overarching issues concerning sub-Saharan Africa. The first edition of the ''Conversations'' series, released in 2013, features an interview with China's Special Representative on African Affairs, Zhong Jianhua, to provide a Chinese perspective on China's engagement with Africa, and a direct answer to accusation by former Nigerian
Central bank A central bank, reserve bank, or monetary authority is an institution that manages the currency and monetary policy of a country or monetary union, and oversees their commercial banking system. In contrast to a commercial bank, a central ba ...
Governor, Lamido Sanusi, that Chinese
investment Investment is the dedication of money to purchase of an asset to attain an increase in value over a period of time. Investment requires a sacrifice of some present asset, such as time, money, or effort. In finance, the purpose of investing i ...
in Africa has contributed to its "
deindustrialisation Deindustrialization is a process of social and economic change caused by the removal or reduction of industrial capacity or activity in a country or region, especially of heavy industry or manufacturing industry. There are different interpre ...
and
underdevelopment Underdevelopment, in the context of international development, reflects a broad condition or phenomena defined and critiqued by theorists in fields such as economics, development studies, and postcolonial studies. Used primarily to distinguish sta ...
".''Conversations'' - Ambassador Zhong Jianhua, China's Special Representative on African Affairs on trade, aid and jobs (2013)
Accessed 2014-04-24


Papers

Africa Research Institute's Papers provide an in-depth exploration of a specific issue or subject. Through this format, ARI has explored the potential of regional integration in
poverty reduction Poverty reduction, poverty relief, or poverty alleviation, is a set of measures, both economic and humanitarian, that are intended to permanently lift people out of poverty. Measures, like those promoted by Henry George in his economics clas ...
, parliamentary
accountability Accountability, in terms of ethics and governance, is equated with answerability, blameworthiness, liability, and the expectation of account-giving. As in an aspect of governance, it has been central to discussions related to problems in the publ ...
in
Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...
and
agricultural subsidies An agricultural subsidy (also called an agricultural incentive) is a government incentive paid to agribusinesses, agricultural organizations and farms to supplement their income, manage the supply of agricultural commodities, and influence the ...
in Malawi.


Events

Africa Research Institute hosts several events a year, including public panel discussions or debates, around subjects related to its publications. These events are attended by people from various sectors, including academia, diplomacy, civil society, and the private sector.


Funding

Africa Research Institute is a UK-registered
charity Charity may refer to: Giving * Charitable organization or charity, a non-profit organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons * Charity (practice), the practice of being benevolent, giving and sharing * Ch ...
, number 1118470. It receives funding from the family foundation of Richard Smith, a
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
industrialist who is also chairman of the board.


Advisory board

* Professor David Anderson, professor of African history,
University of Warwick The University of Warwick ( ; abbreviated as ''Warw.'' in post-nominal letters) is a public research university on the outskirts of Coventry between the West Midlands (county), West Midlands and Warwickshire, England. The university was founded i ...
* Brian Donaldson, patron of the Madagascar Development Fund and Former British High Commissioner and Ambassador * Dr Steven Mbithi, chief executive of Fresh Produce Exporters' Association, Kenya * Paul Chidara Muchineripi, director of Business Training and Development, a Harare-based consultancy * Angela Nguku, co-ordinator, AMREF Virtual Nursing School * Dr Jeggan C. Senghor, senior research fellow at the
Institute of Commonwealth Studies The Institute of Commonwealth Studies, founded in 1949, is the sole postgraduate academic institution in the United Kingdom devoted to the study of the Commonwealth. It is also home to the longest-running interdisciplinary and practice-oriented ...
,
University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...
*
Michela Wrong Michela Wrong (born 1961) is a British journalist and author who has spent more than two decades writing about Africa. Her postings as a journalist began in Europe and then West, Central and East Africa. She has worked for Reuters, the BBC, and ...
, journalist and author * Dr Deborah Potts, senior lecturer in geography at
King's College London King's College London (informally King's or KCL) is a public research university located in London, England. King's was established by royal charter in 1829 under the patronage of King George IV and the Duke of Wellington. In 1836, King's ...
(KCL) * Dr Janet Chikaya-Banda, Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary of Justice of Malawi * Professor Vanessa Watson, head of the City and Regional planning Masters programme at the School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics,
University of Cape Town The University of Cape Town (UCT) ( af, Universiteit van Kaapstad, xh, Yunibesithi ya yaseKapa) is a public research university in Cape Town, South Africa. Established in 1829 as the South African College, it was granted full university statu ...
* Fouzia Mohamed Ismail, co-founder and executive director of the Somaliland Nursing and Midwifery Association (SLNMA) * Dr Phil Clark, reader in comparative and international politics,
School of Oriental and African Studies SOAS University of London (; the School of Oriental and African Studies) is a public research university in London, England, and a member institution of the federal University of London. Founded in 1916, SOAS is located in the Bloomsbury ar ...
(SOAS), University of London


Partner organisations

* Association of African Planning Schools * African Centre for Cities,
University of Cape Town The University of Cape Town (UCT) ( af, Universiteit van Kaapstad, xh, Yunibesithi ya yaseKapa) is a public research university in Cape Town, South Africa. Established in 1829 as the South African College, it was granted full university statu ...
* Burundi Revenue Authority/ Office burundais des recettes * Malawi Law Commission * Sierra Leone National Electoral Commission * Amref Health Africa * Centre for Urban Research and Innovations,
University of Nairobi , mottoeng = In unity and work , image = Uon emblem.gif , image_size = 210px , caption = Coat of Arms of the University , type = Public , endowment ...
* Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) * Fresh Produce Exporters' Association of Kenya *
School of Oriental and African Studies SOAS University of London (; the School of Oriental and African Studies) is a public research university in London, England, and a member institution of the federal University of London. Founded in 1916, SOAS is located in the Bloomsbury ar ...
(SOAS),
University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...
*
King's College London King's College London (informally King's or KCL) is a public research university located in London, England. King's was established by royal charter in 1829 under the patronage of King George IV and the Duke of Wellington. In 1836, King's ...
, Department of Geography * African Studies Centre,
University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...
*
Zed Books Zed Books is an independent non-fiction publishing company based in London, UK. It was founded in 1977 under the name Zed Press by Roger van Zwanenberg. Zed publishes books for an international audience of both general and academic readers, co ...


See also

*
List of think tanks in the United Kingdom This is a list of think tanks in the United Kingdom. A–I * Adam Smith Institute * Africa Research Institute * Bow Group * Boyd Group * Brand EU * Bright Blue * British American Security Information Council * British Future * Bruges Group * ...
*
Overseas Development Institute ODI (formerly the 'Overseas Development Institute') is a global affairs think tank, founded in 1960. Its mission is "to inspire people to act on injustice and inequality through collaborative research and ideas that matter for people and the p ...
*
Institute of Development Studies The Institute of Development Studies (IDS) is a think tank affiliated with the University of Sussex in Brighton, England, and based on its campus in Falmer, East Sussex. It delivers research and teaching in the area of development studies, an ...
*
Codesria The Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) is Pan-African research organisation headquartered in Dakar, Senegal. The current President of CODESRIA is Dzodzi Tsikata. Background CODESRIA was established in 19 ...


References


External links


Official site
{{authority control African studies Think tanks established in 2007 Political and economic think tanks based in the United Kingdom Foreign policy and strategy think tanks based in the United Kingdom Charities based in London Research institutes in the United Kingdom