Mission
The activities and publications of IFAA
contribute immensely to the search for solutions to
Africa's problems Salim A.Salim, Secretary
General,OAU
The Institute for African Alternatives (IFAA) is
a network institute for policy research on alternative development strategies
for the continent, with links to NGOs in the North and South and grassroots
organisations in Africa. It was established in January 1986 in response
to the prevailing African crisis. IFAA is in the roster of the UN Economic and Social Council
General aims of
IFAA
- To conduct and facilitate
research on the problems of Africa and the processes
necessary for social transformation
- To arrange conferences, workshops
and seminars to enable African scholars and
personalities from all walks of life to meet, discuss
and develop alternative policies for
Africa
- To publish reports, proceedings
and occasional papers that facilitate the development
of alternative policies
- To ontinue to develop the
existing IFAA centres in Africa and initiate new
ones
- To represent African perspectives
within and outside Africa
- To conduct residential training
programmes and adult educational
courses
- To run courses for certification in Africa-related
subjects in conjunction with
various universities
- The location of an office in
London enables IFAA to undertake activities, which are
often not possible in Africa due to lack of necessary
resources, or for other reasons. The centre plays a key
role in IFAA’s work and Website and is
responsible for the following:
carrying outresearch in ecology politics and conflict in the Horn region publishing books,
reports and papers on problems of the
African environment
- Holding educational and training
programmes for students, African women, African
environmentalists and IFAA personnel
- hosting IFAA’s e-mail
system and disseminating crucial information to the
IFAA centres in Africa
- representing African views and
promoting IFAA’s policies to the mass media in
Europe
- IFAA has established co-operative
relations with the OAU, OATUU and the UN Economic
Commission for Africa (UNECA)