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Governance and Democracy: Overview

SAIIA's governance and democracy cluster focuses on the governance challenges facing particularly governments, parliaments, political parties and civil society in Africa. Our research looks at governance questions and accountability gaps in Africa at three levels: national, regional and continental. The purpose is to analyse how the various stakeholders mentioned above can play a more substantive role in improving governance and accountability in the region, thereby contributing towards a supportive environment for the sustainable development of the continent.

SAIIA’s governance research builds on previous research conducted on the challenges facing parliaments in Southern Africa in ensuring effective oversight over the executive. In addition, we have done substantial research on the key stumbling blocks preventing African political parties from playing a positive role in the consolidation of democracy in Africa. See here for further information on these past projects. SAIIA’s parliamentary research continues through an innovative capacity-building programme with the Lesotho-based Transformation Resources Centre. See here for further information. We also continue to engage the parliamentary committees of the South African Parliament based in Cape Town and Pan-African Parliament in Midrand on the findings of our research.

Our broader continental governance research agenda is supported by two innovative programmes. The first programme looks at the role of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) in promoting the governance agenda in the region. The second programme explores the governance of Africa’s resources from the perspective of sustainable development and poverty reduction.

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Governance and African Peer Review Mechanism Programme

SAIIA's Governance and APRM programme aims to stimulate public debate and scholarship about critical governance and development questions in Africa and beyond. The programme seeks to improve public policymaking by linking governments, citizens and researchers through a variety of publications, training workshops and research fellowships. Read More

Governance of Africa’s Resources Programme

The Governance of Africa’s Resources Programme (GARP) aims to improve policies governing Africa’s abundant natural resources. It considers the following sectors: fossil fuels, mineral resources, forestry and fisheries. That Africa is rich in natural resources is not news. The continent’s rubber soled the automobile revolution and its copper helped connect the world during the telecommunications one. Even the uranium used to manufacture the atomic bomb dropped during the Second World War was sourced from Africa. Today, Africa’s natural resources are no less strategic than in the past. Read More