By Ayukmba Nkonghonyor*
Credibility, for most institutions, is not earned through isolated achievements but through consistent performance across different contexts. In 2025, the Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation exemplified this principle. The same organization that convened global development actors in Washington, D.C., also trained small businesses in Yaoundé; the research institute that produced policy analyses also responded to electoral tensions with factual information; and the network that strengthened regional think tanks also remained engaged with community needs at the grassroots level.
Across each of these efforts, the Foundation showed an institution increasingly comfortable operating at multiple scales – local, national, regional, and global – while maintaining a coherent identity grounded in rigorous evidence, democratic values, and inclusive development. The year brought opportunities and pressures, and the Foundation’s responses revealed a maturity defined not by the size of any single event but by the consistency of its commitments.
Convening African Perspectives in Global Finance
A defining moment of the year came on October 14, when the Foundation’s Nkafu Policy Institute co-convened the inaugural Africa @ the World Bank/IMF Annual Meetings in Washington, D.C., working alongside AUDA-NEPAD and Afrobarometer. For an institution based in Cameroon, stepping onto the global stage was both a strategic opportunity and a test of capacity. It offered a platform to amplify African agency in global finance while requiring organizational excellence on par with long-established international actors.
The convening gathered policymakers, development partners, and private sector leaders to address themes including human capital development, debt sustainability, climate finance, digital inclusion, and private sector competitiveness. The event introduced the Trailblazer for Africa Award, presented to Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield for her longstanding support of African priorities within the U.S. foreign policy landscape.
Beyond its thematic relevance, the event’s success demonstrated the Foundation’s ability to orchestrate high-stakes, multi-stakeholder platforms that deliver value to African institutions seeking greater voice in global economic conversations. It also showcased the organization’s evolution from a regional household name to a credible convener shaping discussions within the global financial architecture.
Strengthening Central Africa’s Policy Research Ecosystem
Two months earlier, from August 4–8, the Foundation hosted the 2025 Think Tank Week in Yaoundé, further affirming its convening power at a regional scale. Bringing together researchers, civil society actors, policymakers, and development partners from across Central Africa and beyond, the week served as a platform for coordinated learning and dialogue in a region where policy research institutions often operate in isolation.
The Central Africa Think Tank Forum addressed issues – shrinking civic space, limited research funding, weak policy uptake, and the need for stronger regional integration – that shape the operating environment for ECCAS-area institutions. Participants emphasized the value of convening peers facing similar constraints and the importance of developing collective strategies for strengthening evidence-informed policymaking.
In parallel, two leadership programs deepened the Think Tank Week’s impact. The Emerging Leaders Program built policy analysis and leadership skills among young Cameroonians, while the Executive and Strategic Leadership Program supported think tank directors and senior managers from across the region. Together, these programs created cross-generational connections essential for sustaining a robust policy ecosystem.
The Think Tank Week reflected a broader pattern that defined the Foundation’s year: sustained engagement with communities – whether researchers, entrepreneurs, or policymakers – rather than one-off touchpoints.
Supporting Economic Participation at the Grassroots Level
At the same time, the Foundation ensured that its work remained grounded in local realities. Through its Small Business & Entrepreneurship Center (SBEC), it continued providing practical support to Cameroonian women and youth seeking to build or expand small enterprises. Training programs throughout 2025 covered business planning, financial literacy, and market access, among others, offering entrepreneurs the tools needed to navigate a challenging business environment.
The 2025 SME Forum provided a crucial platform for entrepreneurs to exchange experiences, access mentorship, and engage with regulators and financial institutions. By focusing on women and youth – groups disproportionately affected by unemployment and limited access to capital – the Foundation advanced inclusive economic participation and strengthened community-level resilience.
Producing the Research That Underpins Everything Else
The Foundation’s capacity to convene effectively – whether in Washington or Yaoundé – rests on the credibility of its research. Throughout 2025, the Nkafu Policy Institute produced analyses on governance reforms, trade competitiveness, public health, peacebuilding, and digital transformation, among others. These publications informed policy debates, shaped institutional priorities, and provided the evidence base for the Foundation’s public engagements.
The Institute’s research was not limited to academic discourse; it formed the backbone of the Foundation’s communication efforts during moments of uncertainty, and it guided programmatic decisions designed to strengthen institutional and societal resilience.
When Crisis Required Immediate Response
This research credibility became especially important during Cameroon’s most politically charged moment in decades – the period following the October 12 presidential election. Amid heightened tensions and widespread misinformation, the Foundation faced an urgent question: could it effectively contribute to public clarity during a fast-moving national crisis?
The Foundation’s response combined principled communication with practical tools. Its official statement urged transparency, constitutional adherence, and non-violence without drifting into partisan commentary. More significantly, the Daily Dispatch provided a factual, time-stamped bulletin compiling verified updates from different media and official sources.
At a time when unverified claims proliferated on social media, the Dispatch became a reliable source for actors seeking clarity. Its value lay not in speculation but in disciplined verification – a direct extension of the research ethos that defines the Nkafu Policy Institute. The Foundation’s credibility in long-term policy research gave it the standing needed to intervene responsibly during a short-term crisis.
Investing in Skills That Strengthen the Ecosystem
Even while responding to immediate developments, the Foundation continued strengthening the technical capacities required for long-term policy influence in the region. The Public Policy Analysis Course and the Scientific & Manuscript Writing Course provided essential tools for researchers, practitioners, and civil society leaders. These programs equipped participants with the analytical and writing skills necessary to produce high-quality policy work, publish research, and engage effectively in public debates. Additional workshops throughout the year targeted leadership, stakeholder engagement, and research methodologies – areas where skill gaps remain significant in Central Africa.
Staying Connected to Local Realities
Amid its expanding portfolio of regional and international engagements, the Foundation maintained a regular practice that keeps its staff grounded: Community Day, held on the last Friday of each month. Through visits to orphanages, clinics, schools, and retirement homes, staff offered material support and hands-on assistance.
These activities reinforce a principle central to the Foundation’s identity: development work must remain connected to lived realities. Community Day ensures that staff who spend much of their time on research, policy, and multi-stakeholder engagements remain in touch with the daily challenges faced by vulnerable populations. This connection – practical, human, and immediate – anchors the institution’s broader work.
What 2025 Revealed About Institutional Development
The Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation’s activities in 2025 illustrate a key dimension of institutional maturity: the ability to operate effectively across different scales without compromising quality or coherence. The organization that convened global development leaders in Washington, D.C., also produced factual bulletins during political tensions. The team that strengthened Central Africa’s research ecosystem also trained entrepreneurs in business planning and supported local communities through monthly service initiatives.
Meeting these diverse demands required different types of expertise, from international partnership management to grassroots facilitation. The Foundation’s ability to perform across these domains reflects deliberate investments in staff capacity, strategic relationships, and organizational systems.
As we look towards 2026, this foundation of consistency becomes even more important. The Think Tank Week is set to reconvene from September 7–11, with broader regional participation. The Africa @ World Bank platform will continue expanding its footprint during the Spring and Annual Meetings. New cohorts of entrepreneurs and emerging leaders will enter training programs. The Nkafu Policy Institute will deepen its research on governance, economic development, and social policy.
Yet the most important continuation may simply be the organization’s commitment to reliability – showing up, maintaining quality, honoring partnerships, and grounding every initiative in evidence. That quiet consistency, demonstrated throughout 2025, is what builds the influence African institutions need to shape policy, convene stakeholders, and assert leadership in development dialogues.
In 2025, the Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation added meaningfully to that record. The challenge for 2026 and beyond will be sustaining that credibility as opportunities grow and expectations rise.
*Ayukmba Nkonghonyor is Deputy Director of Communications at the Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation. Culled from December Issue of PAV Magazine
