Cameroon: Think Tank, CSO Leaders Gather to Strengthen Capacity amid Regional Volatility

By Boris Esono Nwenfor

YAOUNDE, Cameroon – The 2025 Executive and Strategic Leadership Program for Think Tanks and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) organised by the Nkafu Policy Institute, a think tank of the Denis and Lenora Foretia Foundation, is underway in Yaoundé, with key actors from across Central Africa converging for two days of intensive leadership, strategy, and capacity-building sessions.

The two-day program aims to sustain the leadership and operational efficiency of think tanks and CSOs in Central Africa, strengthen organizational management and policy development skills to produce impactful research and foster democratic governance, enhance the leadership and advocacy competencies of think tank researchers, particularly women, to improve policy advocacy and drive gender equity and to expand the regional influence of Central African think tanks and CSOs through enhanced communication and collaboration.

The initiative comes at a time when think tanks and CSOs are increasingly under pressure. Central Africa continues to grapple with instability, stemming from the fallout of the war in Ukraine, climate-related crises, mounting public debt, and internal governance challenges. These disruptions have made it more challenging for civic and research organisations to influence policy, advocate for the public good, and mobilise the resources necessary to operate efficiently.

Ittia Bruno, Director of Communications and Strategic Initiatives at the Denis and Lenora Foretia Foundation, emphasised the need to bolster the effectiveness of Central African think tanks, which he described as having “one of the weakest convening powers” on the continent.

“This programme stems from the fact that Central Africa has one of the weakest convening powers in terms of when you look at the different think tanks that we have in Africa in general. Our convening power in Central Africa is weak,” Ittia Bruno said.

“Our power to influence policies through evidence-based research is weak when we compare it to other think tanks in, maybe, East Africa, in South Africa. And so we thought that it would be good to bring together think tank professionals, other executives of CSO organisations to boost your capacity in diverse areas.”

The 2025 edition is themed around operating in unstable environments, a reality many CSOs and research institutions face in Central Africa due to political instability, economic uncertainty, and diminishing donor support. The program seeks to equip participants with tools to mobilise resources, collaborate more strategically, and maintain organisational sustainability.

One of the participants, Dr Julienne Mesumbe, a Senior Technical Advisor at Georgetown University's Centre for Global Health Practice and Impact, highlighted the relevance of the training for her organisation and the broader sector.

"This program comes at a critical time. I'm here to learn how to build a resilient organisation in a context of volatility and funding uncertainty,” Dr Mesumbe said. “We need to diversify funding sources, engage governments and policymakers, and find ways to leverage local resources when external support dwindles.”

“As an organisation, funding is the reason we are here today. So, how do we make sure that we diversify funding? How do we make sure that we engage the government, authorities and policymakers to make sure that even funds that are available in-country are used to make sure that in events external funding uncertainty, local resources can still be leveraged on to be able to maintain programmes.”

Throughout the two-day event, leaders from think tanks and civil society organisations are sharing experiences, developing joint strategies, and building networks that can drive regional integration and democratic resilience.

The Executive Leadership Program will be immediately followed by the Central African Think Tank Forum on Thursday and Friday, where these participants will join policymakers and other regional actors to deepen discussions on governance, security, and sustainable development.

Organisers hope the synergy created between the leadership program and the forum will foster long-term collaboration and influence across the region, in line with the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections, and Governance.

In a region where the space for civic engagement is narrowing and public trust in institutions is often fragile, the 2025 Executive and Strategic Leadership Program offers hope, direction, and a renewed commitment to the ideals of good governance and inclusive development.

About the Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation

The Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation was established to catalyse 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 partners with local governments, policymakers, private enterprises, civil society organisations, and development partners to expand resources available to entrepreneurs, farmers, and small business owners, thereby improving individual livelihoods.

About the Nkafu Policy Institute

The Nkafu Policy Institute is an African think tank with a mission to provide independent, in-depth, and insightful policy recommendations that enable all Africans to prosper in free, fair, democratic, and sustainable economies. The Institute’s team of analysts, experts, and researchers works on governance and democracy, health and education, peace and security, science and technology, and economic policy.