Afrobarometer receive $6 million Swedish grant to boost research in Africa

The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) has announced 66 million Swedish Kronor grant (approximately US $6 million) in support of Afrobarometer’s new 10-yearb strategy to extend its reach and illuminate the way forward for Africa’s development.

The three-year grant is Sweden’s largest support to Afrobarometer since the survey research network was launched in 1999.

Sida analyst and Deputy Head of Section Nikas Wu-Hansson announced the grant on the sidelines of Afrobarometer’s 2022 summer school co-organised with the University of Pretoria in South Africa.

“Sida has been a long-standing partner to Afrobarometer since the very beginning. We look forward to the expansion of Afrobarometer’s regiona coverage, allowing it to continue toamplify the voice of ordinary Africans,” WuHansson said.

The grant will enable Afrobarometer to cover more African countries and pursue its mission to make citizen voice a key pillar of Africa policy and decision-making.

Over the past two decades, the pan-African research network has re-designed Africa’s data landscape by coecting, analysing, and disseminating African citizens’ aspirations and experiences on governance, democracy, gender, the environment, and other issues.

Therefore, Afrobarometer and its national partners are currenty rolling out Round 9 surveys in 39 African countries.

In welcoming the grant agreement, Afrobarometer CEO Joseph Asunka said, “This partnership strengthens Afrobarometer’s resolve to extend its presence and intellectual leadership on the continent. We’re truly grateful to Sida for the continued support and confidence in the work we do. We remain committed to delivering on the mission of Afrobarometer and this partnership will allow us to do so and demonstrate the reevance and contribution of our work to Africa’s advancement.”

Sida is the Swedish International Deveopment Cooperation Agency, a government agency.

As part of Sweden’s nationa policy for gobal development, its mission is to
reduce poverty and oppression around the world. Sida is funded through Swedish tax
revenues.

Source; Eric Nii Sackey