Mamadou Biteye, the Executive Secretary of the African Capacity Building Foundation, speaking during the 9th East Africa Philanthropy Conference at the Serena Hotel, Kigali Rwanda on June 12, 2025.
June 12, 2025 | Kigali, Rwanda:
Mamadou Biteye, the Executive Secretary of the African Capacity Building Foundation, has called on philanthropic institutions to align more closely in order to boost the sector’s effectiveness.
Speaking during day two of the 9th East Africa Philanthropy Conference in Kigali, Biteye emphasized the importance of institutional coherence and ecosystem alignment for long-term impact.
The three-day conference, taking place at Serena Hotel in Kigali, has brought together over 500 delegates from across Africa and beyond.
Under the theme “Agile Philanthropy: Adapting to Economic, Social, and Political Shifts”, the event seeks to foster innovation, cross-sector collaboration, and systems-level change in philanthropy.
Biteye urged participants to think deeply about how philanthropic institutions can work more coherently.
“Institutional coherence and ecosystem alignment is not a political issue,” he said. “It is really a practical necessity for effective and impactful philanthropic efforts.”
Delegates attending the 9th East Africa Philanthropy Conference at the Serena Hotel, Kigali Rwanda on June 12, 2025.
The Case for Institutional Coherence
According to Biteye, institutional coherence in philanthropy refers to the alignment and integration of policies, practices, and goals across various organizations.
This alignment, he said, prevents fragmentation and duplication of efforts, ultimately leading to more effective and efficient outcomes.
“When organizations build coherence, they can leverage each other’s strengths,” he said. “This leads to better results.”
He urged delegates to think beyond individual institutional goals and instead focus on shared missions that can unite foundations, nonprofits, and communities.
“Imagine foundations, nonprofits, and communities working towards a common goal — the impact can be tremendous,” Biteye noted.
Learning from Oxfam’s Model
Biteye cited Oxfam as a powerful example of successful institutional coherence. He traced the organization’s evolution from a single committee — the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief — into a global force.
Rather than growing by duplicating itself, Oxfam expanded through partnerships with existing organizations across countries.
He explained how these different institutions — like Intermón in Spain, Novib in the Netherlands, and Agir Ici in France — chose to adopt Oxfam’s vision, principles, and policies.
“They aligned themselves into a common objective, a common goal, and a common resource framework,” Biteye said.
This alignment, according to him, enabled Oxfam to become highly influential. It expanded to over 120 countries and employed thousands of staff working on critical global campaigns, such as “Make Trade Fair” and small arms control.
“It has contributed to reducing conflicts across Africa,” he said, referencing the campaign on small arms that influenced both the African Union and the United Nations.
“This is the kind of impact we can have—not just locally or continentally, but globally—when we have that coherence,” he added.
Gaps in Philanthropy’s Alignment
Despite these examples, Biteye expressed concern that philanthropy as a sector has yet to demonstrate such deep alignment.
“I don’t pretend to know everything about philanthropy,” he said. “But I haven’t seen that kind of alignment in philanthropy yet.”
He acknowledged that there have been some examples of alignment around specific issues. One such example, which he was personally involved in, was the Partnership for Inclusive Agricultural Transformation in Africa (PIATA).
A Success Story in Agricultural Philanthropy
Biteye described how PIATA brought together multiple philanthropic organizations, government agencies, and international partners under a shared results framework. This collaboration supported the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), helping drive agricultural transformation in multiple countries.
“Together, they put together over half a billion dollars to support AGRA’s vision and work,” Biteye explained.
He said this alignment had lasted for ten years, with the partnership renewed twice in five-year intervals. This model, he added, showed that when philanthropic actors come together with common goals and coordinated frameworks, they can deliver lasting change.
Delegates attending the 9th East Africa Philanthropy Conference at the Serena Hotel, Kigali Rwanda on June 12, 2025.
A Call to Action
In concluding his keynote, Biteye urged philanthropists and their partners to prioritize ecosystem coherence.
He emphasized that this is not about losing institutional identity, but about aligning where it matters for the greater good.
“If we want to deliver sustainable impact, we must go beyond working in silos,” he said. “We need to align goals, policies, and actions.”
He stressed that such collaboration will build resilience and ensure that philanthropic efforts are not only effective today but also sustainable for the future.
The audience responded with applause, and several delegates later described his remarks as a timely call to action in a sector that often struggles with coordination.
Delegates attending the 9th East Africa Philanthropy Conference at the Serena Hotel, Kigali Rwanda on June 12, 2025.
Conference Continues
The 9th East Africa Philanthropy Conference continues at Serena Hotel until June 13. It has drawn participants from across the continent, including foundation leaders, community-based organizations, and development partners.
Organized under the theme “Agile Philanthropy: Adapting to Economic, Social, and Political Shifts”, the conference provides a platform for discussing how philanthropy can evolve to meet emerging challenges.
Biteye’s keynote address set the tone for discussions around collaboration and alignment, underscoring that without coherence, even well-intentioned efforts may fall short.
