Research
More information
For more information, please contact Mariska van Beijnum, Jort Hemmer
or visit the OA website
OA: Observatoire de l'Afrique
The 'Observatoire de l'Afrique' (OA) is a network of independent experts and institutes coordinated by the Central Africa Programme of the Brussels based EGMONT - Royal Institute for International Relations. The network aims at encouraging discussion between African and European experts on African security and political issues. This project was initiated to remedy the non-existence of a comprehensive forum for academic and professional exchanges on African issues of relevance for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP), including a wide range of African stakeholders. The overall aim is to create a forum for open, constructive dialogue and debate, and provide useful conclusions to a wide range of policy makers.
This project is based on an Internet platform (forthcoming - www.obsafrique.eu) providing permanent debate, publications and relevant information and on three policy-relevant conferences per year. Of these seminars, one is to be held in an EU capital, another in Africa and the third in Brussels. The target audience for these debates include: policy makers at different levels, including the EU institutions, the AU, diplomatic staff, MFA and MOD officials and representatives of key think tanks and academia. In addition, a number of punctual meetings (Africa Briefings) will be organized that aim at providing insights into relevant political and security issues in Africa.
The Observatoire is developed in association with the 'Délégation aux Affaires Stratégiques' (DAS, Ministry of Defence - France). The Conflict Research Unit is an associated member of the OA, together with the Instituto de Estudos Estratégicos et Internacionais (IEEI, Lisbon), the UK Royal Institute of international Affairs Chatham House, the Institute for Security Studies (ISS, Pretoria), the University of Bologna, the Conflict Research Group (Ghent University), the Center for Policy Research and Dialogue (CPRD, Addis Ababa) and the Pole Institute (Goma, DRC).