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The Open Society Foundations has announced the rollout of three long-term initiatives across Africa, aimed at strengthening civic participation, inclusive economic growth, and grassroots peace efforts.
Together, the programs underscore both the urgency and potential of this moment in Africa’s development.
The newly launched initiatives Democratic Futures in Africa, Resources Futures in Africa, and Transformative Peace in Africa extend Open Society’s four-decade legacy of supporting African citizens, institutions, and governments committed to human rights, equity, and justice.
“I see so much talent, energy, and innovation across all sectors working for a prosperous and democratic Africa,” said Binaifer Nowrojee, president of the Open Society Foundations.
“We are proud to stand alongside these remarkable voices that are reshaping Africa’s future with an inspiring optimism, courage, and unshakable commitment to the potential of the continent despite the many crushing challenges.”
All three initiatives are designed to elevate African-led solutions, grassroots activism, and community-defined strategies to advance inclusive politics, pro-people economic policies, and peacebuilding that centers women, youth, and historically marginalized groups.
“At the core of all three initiatives is a belief in African innovation, wisdom, and leadership,” said Alex Soros, chair of the Open Society Foundations.
“We are not here to impose solutions—we are here to support and amplify the people and institutions already doing the work. This approach reaffirms our long-standing belief that real change comes from the ground up.”
These programs are aligned with Open Society’s broader advocacy for restructuring global economic systems toward greater fairness.
Democratic Futures in Africa: Reimagining Politics and Governance
Spanning eight years, the Democratic Futures in Africa program is focused on rethinking governance on the continent through a lens of ubuntu—a humanist philosophy centered on justice, dignity, and solidarity.
The initiative aims to promote inclusive, socially cohesive democratic models that bridge generational divides and empower citizen participation, especially among women and youth.
“Across the continent, young people are taking to the streets and the screens, not just to protest, but to reimagine leadership and governance,” said Chukwuemeka Eze, director of the Democratic Futures in Africa program.
“The Gen Z protests in Kenya and youth-led movements in Senegal and Nigeria are a powerful message echoing across the continent, challenging politics as usual and calling for accountability, inclusion, and dignity.”
This energy and commitment to democratic principles must be constructively harnessed.
The programs will operate in Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and countries across the Sahel.
Collaborations will be made with civic groups, creatives, digital activists, and local organizers to reduce the grip of moneyed interests on politics, build public trust in institutions, and nurture new leadership pathways.
Resources Futures in Africa: Reclaiming Economic Sovereignty
The Resources Futures in Africa initiative, which will run over five years, focuses on ensuring Africa’s mineral wealth translates into real benefits for its people, not just global markets.
It targets resource-rich nations such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mozambique, and Ghana, with an emphasis on fair, transparent, and rights-based governance of extractive industries.
“Africa’s mineral wealth must fuel opportunity and prosperity, not exploitation,” said Brian Kagoro, managing director at the Open Society Foundations.
“We’re supporting African-led efforts to ensure that communities affected by artisanal mining—often among the most marginalized—have a voice, a stake, and a share in the benefits.”
The program’s goals include aligning mining with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), strengthening movements for social and environmental justice, and engaging resource-importing countries in the Global North and Asia Pacific to push for ethical sourcing and investment.
The initiative will also deepen collaboration with regional bodies like the African Union to advocate for community rights and green industrialization.
Transformative Peace in Africa: Shifting Power to Communities
Operating in fragile and conflict-affected regions—including Mozambique, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and across the Sahel (Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger)—the Transformative Peace in Africa program seeks to overhaul peacebuilding by centering justice, local agency, and gender inclusion.
It addresses not just the symptoms of conflict, but its root causes.
“Peace that lasts must be rooted in the realities of the people most affected by conflict,” said Michelle Ndiaye, director of the Transformative Peace in Africa program.
“We are challenging the elite-driven, externally imposed peace frameworks that have failed our continent. It is time to put communities, especially women and young people, at the center of building durable peace.”
The program will back reparative justice efforts, uplift traditional and Indigenous peace mechanisms, and promote the leadership of women peace-builders, whose success in countries like Liberia, Rwanda, and Sudan has long been underrecognized.
Through these strategies, the initiative aims to create resilient, locally owned pathways to peace.
About the Open Society Foundations
The Open Society Foundations (OSF) is a global philanthropic network founded by investor and philanthropist George Soros.
With operations in over 120 countries, OSF supports initiatives that promote justice, democratic governance, human rights, and accountable institutions.
In Africa, OSF has been active for over 40 years, working alongside local partners to advance equity, civic engagement, and inclusive development.
Through its regional and national foundations, OSF funds grassroots movements, policy reform efforts, and community-led solutions aimed at building more open and resilient societies.
