Open Society Launches Three Major Africa Initiatives

DAKAR—The Open Society Foundations today announced the launch of three multiyear programs in Africa to advance civic engagement, economic prosperity, and peacebuilding. Together, these programs reflect the urgency and promise of this moment on the continent. 

The new multifaceted efforts—Democratic Futures in Africa, Resources Futures in Africa, and Transformative Peace in Africa—continue a 40-year commitment by Open Society to support African citizens, institutions, and governments at the forefront of advancing 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.”

The three Open Society programs will prioritize African agency, grassroots organizing, and locally defined solutions to push for political inclusion, economic policies that benefit people, and community-rooted conflict resolution efforts, especially among youth, women, and other historically excluded communities. 

“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 efforts are complemented by Open Society’s advocacy for a more equitable global economic architecture.

Democratic Futures in Africa: Reimagining Politics and Governance

With an eight-year scope, the Democratic Futures in Africa program aims to support efforts to reimagine the continent’s politics and governance by promoting a new kind of politics rooted in ubuntu—a philosophy grounded in dignity, justice, and solidarity. The initiative seeks to foster inclusive, socially cohesive democratic practice that bridges generational divides and amplifies citizen agency, especially among younger people and women that have traditionally been excluded.

“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.

Operating in Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Sahelian countries, the program will partner with local organizers, artists, civic groups, and digital communities to push back against the influence of money in politics, build citizen trust in institutions, and create new pathways for leadership.

Resources Futures in Africa: Reclaiming Economic Sovereignty

Spanning five years, the Resources Futures in Africa program targets resource-rich countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mozambique, and Ghana. The program aims to ensure Africa’s critical minerals benefit its people—not just global markets—by promoting just, transparent, and rights-respecting resource governance.

“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 will work to align mineral extraction with sustainable development goals, strengthen environmental and social justice movements, and engage global buyer and investor countries in the Global North and Asia Pacific to promote responsible sourcing and investment practices to ensure fair and equitable exploitation of critical minerals. It will also deepen collaboration with continental institutions such as the African Union to champion green industrialization and protect community rights.

Transformative Peace in Africa: Shifting Power to Communities

In countries experiencing ongoing or post-conflict transitions—including Mozambique, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and across the Sahel (Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger)—the Transformative Peace in Africa program shifts the paradigm of peacebuilding. It prioritizes locally-led, gender-inclusive, and justice-centered approaches that address the root causes of violence—not just its symptoms.

“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 support reparative justice efforts, elevate traditional and Indigenous peace practices, and champion the leadership of women peace-builders, whose efforts have long been sidelined despite proven success in countries like Rwanda, Liberia, and Sudan.