Cooperations & Partners

The SUNARPA research team cooperates with the following partners:

OSSREA – Organization for Social Science Research in Eastern and Southern Africa

The Organization for Social Science Research in Eastern and Southern Africa (OSSREA) is a regional membership-based and donor-supported research and capacity-building organization whose mission is to promote dialogue and interaction between researchers and policy-makers in Eastern and Southern Africa with a view to enhancing the impact of research on policy-making and development planning. Its headquarter is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Its constituency is based on membership drawn from social scientists and institutions engaged in teaching and/or research in the social sciences in Eastern and Southern Africa. Currently, there are 21 member countries in the region where OSSREA has National Chapters and Liaison Offices. However, its constitution opens membership to social scientists in the following countries of Eastern and Southern Africa: Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Comoros Islands, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Institutional membership is open to all institutions, within or outside the region, engaged in the promotion of research in the social sciences in Africa.

www.ossrea.net

 

African Union – Department of Human Resources, Science & Technology

The African Union Commission (AUC) is committed to ensure that science and technology in Africa contributes to its sustainable development efforts. The Act establishing the Union recognizes the need for Africa to embark on an ambitious strategic science and technology development programme, aimed at contributing to the wellbeing and improved quality of life for the African citizens. To this end the establishment of the AU in 2002 was accompanied by the setting up the AUC with a special Department of Human Resources, Science and Technology to drive this strategic programme.

This has further generated tremendous momentum in deploying science as a tool for development in Africa. The AUC created a Conference of Ministers in charge of Science and Technology (AMCOST) as a platform for the Union to periodically deliberate on science and technology issues. In 2005, the AUC through the AMCOST successfully developed Africa’s Science and Technology Consolidated Plan of Action (CPA) to secure our competitive advantage and to leverage on our capabilities and capacities by focusing our research and development to respond to our challenges and needs. The CPA brings together the AUC’s and NEPAD’s science and technology programmes and it articulates Africa’s common objectives and commitment to collectively use science as a development tool through science and technology capacity building; knowledge production and management; and technological innovation. It addresses the way forward to use science and technology as catalysts for sustainable development based on its well defined clusters of priority R&D, Policy and Institutional flagship programmes.

hrst.au.int

 

African Union – Department of Rural Economy & Agriculture (DREA)

The Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture (DREA) was established with the objectives of

  • promoting agricultural and rural development
  • ensuring food security for Africans
  • achieving sustainable development and improved livelihoods for the population
  • ensuring effective protection and development of the African environment underpinned by sound environmental and natural resources management including disaster risk reduction and adaptation to climate change.

rea.au.int

 

African Union – Peace and Security Department (PSD)

The Peace and Security Department (PSD) of the Commission of the African Union (AU) provides support to the efforts aimed at promoting  peace, security and stability on the continent. Currently, the PSD activities focus on the following:

  •  implementation  of the Common African Defence and Security Policy (CADSP);
  • operationalization  of the Continental Peace and Security Architecture as articulated by the  Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council (PSC)  of the AU, including the Continental Early Warning System (CEWS) and the  African Standby Force (ASF);
  • support to the efforts to prevent, manage and  resolve conflicts;
  • promotion  of programmes for the structural prevention of conflicts, including through the  implementation of the AU Border Programme (AUBP);
  • implementation  of the AU’s Policy Framework on Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development  (PCRD); and
  • coordination,  harmonization and promotion of peace and security programmes in Africa,  including with the Regional Economic Communities (RECs)/Regional Mechanisms for  Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution (RMs), the United Nations and  other relevant international organisations and partners.

ps.au.int

 

IGAD – Intergovernmental Authority on Development

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in Eastern Africa was created in 1996 to supersede the Intergovernmental Authority on Drought and Development (IGADD) which was founded in 1986. The recurring and severe droughts and other natural disasters between 1974 and 1984 caused widespread famine, ecological degradation and economic hardship in the Eastern Africa region. The magnitude and extent of the problem argued strongly for a regional approach to supplement national efforts.

Today, IGAD’s mission is to assist and complement the efforts of the seven Member States (Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda) to achieve, through increased cooperation:

  • Food Security and environmental protection
  • Promotion and maintenance of peace and security and humanitarian affairs
  • Economic cooperation and integration.

http://igad.int