Cameroon: Think Tanks Vital in Strengthening Democratic Institutions in Central Africa

By Boris Esono Nwenfor

BUEA, August 21, 2023 – Governance and democracy experts say think tanks are important in strengthening democratic institutions in Central Africa as they act as brokers of policy knowledge, centres of research, and incubators of new ideas.

In a webinar on “The Role of Think Tanks in Strengthening Democratic Institutions in Central Africa on August 17 organized by the Nkafu Policy Institute, a think tank of the Denis and Lenora Foretia Foundation, Mutondo Mathieu, Researcher, University of Kisangani said: “Think tanks should seek to be independent to avoid over-dependence on the Government and to effectively continue influencing policy.”

The webinar was to discuss and brainstorm on how think tanks can be instrumental in the democratic process. It focused on the relationship between political institutions (and leaders) and civil society; Why and how powerful individuals take control of state institutions; The role of think tanks in the democratic process and In-depth policy recommendations to stakeholders on how to strengthen democratic institutions in Africa.

“Think tanks should tailor their policy recommendations towards the issues at hand and these policies should relate with the people and setting to which they are addressed,” the experts said. “The state needs to collaborate with think tanks to properly implement policies that will solve the various problems Africa is facing.”

Over the years, think tanks have been very instrumental in the process of peacebuilding across Africa through their programs and mechanisms. They conduct policy-relevant research, understand the root causes of conflict, analyze conflict, map out solutions and make policy recommendations to policymakers and public opinion on a broad range of issues around peace, security, governance, and development.

A major contribution of think tanks to peacebuilding is that they catalyze ideas. Ideas that can be put into practice are crucial in a world that faces many critical issues, such as extreme poverty, armed conflict, inequality, climate change, rapid urbanization, the spread of infectious diseases, terrorism, organized crime, and the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

However, African think tanks face several structural challenges. These include, inter alia, inadequate funding, limited collaboration with the AU and RECs, the issue of independence, and shrinking space. Most African think tanks do not get local funding as their funding is mostly from Western and international donors. Others are dependent on corporate funding or contributions by individual stakeholders, which is often insufficient, uncertain, irregular, and unequally distributed in the think tank space.

According to the 2021 report by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) on the state of democracy in the world covering 165 independent states and two territories, democracy has declined on the African continent, especially in Central Africa. The report reveals that the 10 Central African countries included in the ranking are classified in the category of authoritarian regimes.

The poor performance of Central African countries in terms of democracy is essentially due to the deterioration in performance in the areas of the electoral process and pluralism, civil liberties and political culture. The resurgence of coups d’état, against a backdrop of security tensions has also undermined the democratic systems of countries in the region.

About the Nkafu Policy Institute

The Nkafu Policy Institute is a think tank within the Denis and Lenora Foretia Foundation whose purpose is to produce independent analysis to inform public debate. Its mission is to advance public policies that help all Africans thrive in free, fair and democratic economies. The Institute has distinguished itself as a leading research centre in Cameroon, committed to promoting open debate that builds consensus towards a democratic future.

About the Denis and Lenora Foretia Foundation

The Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation was established to catalyze Africa’s economic transformation by focusing on social entrepreneurship, science and technology, innovation, public health, and progressive policies that create economic opportunities for all. The foundation works in partnership with local governments, policymakers, private enterprises, civil society organizations as well as development partners to expand the resources available to entrepreneurs, farmers, and small business owners in addition to improving individual livelihoods.