Here is a position paper from the African Council on Foreign Relations (ACFR) articulating its rationale for rejecting alignment with the CSIS Africa Policy Accelerator 2025 Cohort, based on concerns about merit and strategic alignment:
Position Paper: Reaffirming African-Led Leadership Development in Global Policy
Issued by: African Council on Foreign Relations (ACFR)
Date: September 2025
Subject: Rejection of Alignment with the CSIS Africa Policy Accelerator 2025 Cohort
Executive Summary
The African Council on Foreign Relations (ACFR) has chosen not to endorse or align with the CSIS Africa Policy Accelerator 2025 Cohort. This decision reflects ACFR’s commitment to merit-based, inclusive, and Africa-led leadership development in global policy and technology governance. While recognizing the importance of international collaboration, ACFR believes that leadership initiatives concerning Africa must be rooted in transparency, regional expertise, and strategic autonomy.
- Concerns About Selection Criteria
ACFR expresses concern that the CSIS Africa Policy Accelerator’s selection process lacks the transparency and inclusivity required to reflect the true diversity and merit of African leadership. The cohort appears to disproportionately favor U.S.-based professionals, often excluding African-based experts with deep regional experience and lived engagement in the continent’s policy and development challenges. ACFR maintains that merit must be defined not by proximity to Western institutions, but by demonstrated impact, ethical leadership, and a commitment to Africa’s strategic interests.
- Reclaiming Narrative Ownership
Africa’s policy future must be shaped by African voices. ACFR is committed to ensuring that leadership development programs do not reinforce external narratives or perpetuate dependency on foreign validation. The Council believes that African policy thinkers, technologists, and diplomats must lead the discourse on the continent’s geopolitical and technological trajectory. Programs that fail to center African agency risk undermining the continent’s long-term capacity for self-determined governance.
- Strategic Autonomy and Vision
ACFR’s initiatives, including the Africa Vision 2050, are designed to cultivate a new generation of African tech strategists who combine geopolitical intelligence, ethical foresight, and transformational leadership. These programs are grounded in Africa’s realities and aspirations, and aim to build leadership capacity that is globally relevant yet locally rooted. Aligning with programs that do not share this vision compromises ACFR’s mission to promote strategic autonomy and continental leadership in global affairs.
- Call for Inclusive and Ethical Collaboration
ACFR welcomes collaboration with international institutions that respect Africa’s leadership, uphold meritocratic principles, and commit to co-creation rather than top-down programming. The Council invites CSIS and similar organizations to engage in dialogue around equitable partnership models that elevate African expertise and foster mutual respect.
Conclusion
The African Council on Foreign Relations stands firm in its decision to reject alignment with the CSIS Africa Policy Accelerator 2025 Cohort. This position is not a dismissal of international cooperation, but a reaffirmation of Africa’s right to lead, define, and shape its own policy future. ACFR remains committed to building a new generation of African leaders who will steward the continent’s role in the global digital order with integrity, vision, and strategic clarity.
