By Binsinla Desire*
YAOUNDE, Cameroon – When civil society and policymakers collaborate, development becomes more inclusive, effective, and sustainable. The power of civic intelligence cannot be overemphasised. Yet, across Central Africa, civil society remains on the margins of national and regional development agendas.
Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) across Central Africa face systemic challenges, including limited access to funding, restrictive legal frameworks, shrinking civic spaces, and weak representation in formal policy-making processes. Many operate in fragile environments marked by political instability and limited institutional support. Despite their grassroots reach and active community presence, CSOs are often treated as external and remote actors in development conversations, invited at best to validate decisions rather than shape them.
Despite contributing to over 60% of local humanitarian response efforts, civil society actors are often sidelined from critical decision-making spaces. [1] According to the 2024 Civil Society Index, only 32% of development policies in the region actively engage grassroots organisations. [2] This exclusion comes at a cost: projects fail, trust erodes, and inequality deepens.
To change this narrative, the Nkafu Policy Institute, a leading think tank of the Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation, is convening the 2025 Central Africa Think Tank Forum from August 7–8, 2025, at Djeuga Palace Hotel in Yaoundé, under the theme “Shaping the Future: Role of Think Tanks and Civil Society in Central Africa Policy Processes.” The forum will bring together policymakers, civil society leaders, researchers, and international partners to forge a more inclusive development path where evidence-based advocacy, civic engagement, and collaborative policy design are central. Through strategic dialogues, peer learning, and actionable policy recommendations, the Forum will spotlight best practices for embedding civil society into every stage of the policy cycle, from design to implementation and evaluation.
The Forum is part of the 2025 Think Tank Week, a dynamic, impact-driven series of events including: The Emerging Leaders Program (August 4–6), which empowers the next generation of civic leaders, and the Executive & Strategic Leadership Program (August 5–6), designed to equip leaders with the foresight and tools to manage organizations in volatile environments and drive systemic change.
As we unlock the power of civic intelligence and place civil society at the centre of Central Africa’s development future, the underlying question is: Can Central Africa afford to silence its civil society? Join us this August as we unlock answers, foster collaboration, and shape the future of the sub-region together.
*Binsinla Desire is a Communications Associate at the Denis and Lenora Foretia Foundation
