Executive and Strategic
Leadership Program

for Think Tank and CSO Leaders

Theme: “Navigating Volatility: Sustaining Think Tanks and CSOs in Unstable Environments”

  • August 05 - 06, 2025
  • Djeuga Palace Hotel
International Registration
Local Registration

Background

Think tanks and civil society organizations (CSOs) are essential pillars for fostering democratic governance, sustainable development, and regional integration in Africa. These institutions provide evidence-based policy recommendations, advocate for the public good, and support inclusive socioeconomic transformation. However, their operations are increasingly constrained by the volatility of their environments, which are marked by political instability, economic uncertainty, and social challenges.

The Central African region has faced significant disruptions in recent years. The ongoing global ramifications of the war in Ukraine, exacerbated by climate change, rising debt levels, and internal socio-political unrest, have negatively impacted the region’s economic and governance structures. These challenges have placed additional pressure on think tanks and CSOs, hindering their ability to influence policy, mobilize resources, and advocate for public interest.

Download concept note

Program Objectives

The primary goal of the program is to sustain the leadership and operational efficiency of think tanks and CSOs in Central Africa. Specific objectives include:

Strategic Capacity Building

 Strengthen organizational management and policy development skills to produce impactful research and foster democratic governance

Empowering Leadership

 Enhance the leadership and advocacy competencies of think tank researchers, particularly women, to improve policy advocacy and drive gender equity

Visibility and Reach

 Expand the regional influence of Central African think tanks and CSOs through enhanced communication and collaboration

Target audience

Think tank, CSO leaders & independent organizations

Focus on women leaders & researchers

Governance-focused policymakers & practitioners

Participants

Enrique Mendizabal

Enrique is OTT’s founder and executive director. He leads the development and delivery of OTT’s mission. Enrique has over 20 years of experience in the field of evidence informed policy. Before founding OTT in 2011 he worked for the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) where he headed the Research and Policy in Development programme. At ODI he co-founded the Outcome Mapping Learning Community. Enrique has co-founded various initiatives aimed at supporting better informed policymaking including Purpose & Ideas, the Peruvian Alliance for the Use of Evidence, the Latin American Evidence Week and the Premio PODER al Think Tank Peruano del Año.

Founder and Executive Director, On Think Tanks

Wolf Akiana Mferé

Wolf Ulrich Is the National Coordinator of the Center for Studies and Research on Economic Analysis and Policies (CERAPE). As a graduate in economics from Marien Ngouabi University in Brazzaville, he is an economist, researcher and consultant. He has already participated in more than twenty international conferences organized by CREA, GLOBLELICS, CRES, CODESRIA and other European and African universities and published several books and articles in the fields of entrepreneurship, climate change, climate business, FDI and poverty.

 

 

National Coordinator, CERAPE

Dr. Crescent Beninga

Docteur en Science Politique, Enseignant-Chercheur, Directeur Exécutif du Centre Centrafricain de Recherche et d'Analyse Géopolitique et porte-parole du Groupe de Travail de la Société Civile sur la Crise Centrafricaine. (GTSC)

Executive Director, Centre Centrafricain de Recherche et d’Analyse Géopolitique

 

 
Mr. Henri Mokambi
Henri Mokambi

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Director & Vice president, Institut Concorde

Caroline Ignace Mveng Mengue

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Présidente et Co-fondatrice du REJEFEMAC

Immanuel Wanah Bumakor

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Founder & Managing Partner Amani Transformational

Dr. Endale Edith Mbonjo

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CEO Grace Bilingual Complex

Ernest Dieudonnée Yene

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Cadre au sein de Dynamique Citoyenne, Conseiller à Fondation Conseil Jeune, Membre du réseau GRAMI

Suiven John Paul Tume

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Senior Lecturer, University of Bamenda

Aboubakary Modibbo Amadou

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Technical Adviser N°2 to the Minister Delegate at the Presidency of the Republic in Charge of the Supreme State Audit Office

Antoine Bitting

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Senior Businnes Coach, IECD

Stephen Ajanga Obah Echochu

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Assistant Lecturer University of Buea- and Founder of the CEPSDA

Epote Ulla Esong

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Certified AVSEC Instructor, Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority

Alex Marco Ndjebayi

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Directeur Regional De Programme, USAID West Africa Regional Food Fortification (RFF) Activity

Margaret Bechem Bechem

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CEO, Women in Development for Change(WID4C) 

Wassia Jacqueline Adiaba

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Consultante OMI et  chef de projet des journées ZLECAF au sein de l’association Les Clubs OHADA du Cameroun

Bruno Ittia

Bruno is a dynamic communications professional with over 9 years of experience in crafting and executing strategic communications initiatives, leading high-performing teams, and driving transformative programs. Known for his ability to deliver impactful results, he has successfully designed and implemented comprehensive communications strategies, produced innovative content, and managed the publication and dissemination of knowledge products across both traditional and digital platforms.

In his previous role as Chief Operating Officer at Bridge Africa Ventures, Bruno spearheaded the development of the award-winning Bridgeafrica.com platform. Through targeted digital and traditional campaigns, he successfully onboarded over 2000 SMEs, significantly expanding the platform’s reach and impact. Additionally, he championed the creation of digital literacy and business development training programs, empowering over 1,000 women and youth in Cameroon with critical skills for economic growth.

Bruno’s career also includes extensive experience as a journalist and communications consultant, where he collaborated with government agencies, and other multilateral institutions such as the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development. His strategic approach has fostered partnerships that highlight the transformative power of technology in improving lives across Africa.

Holding a Master’s Degree in International Communications and a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, Bruno combines academic rigor with practical expertise. His proven leadership, innovative mindset, and commitment to driving change position him as a key asset in advancing the Foundation’s mission through transformative communications and strategic initiatives.

Director of Communications and Strategic Initiatives, Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation

Dr. Adeline Nembot

Dr. Adeline M. Nembot is a Senior Policy Analyst in the Economic Affairs Division at the Nkafu Policy Institute. She holds a PhD in Labour and Development Economics from the Collaborative PhD Program (CPP), obtained under the auspices of the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC), a highly selective scholarship program for the best students from African universities. She also holds a certification in Land Economics and Governance obtained at the University of Cape Town, South Africa.

Dr. Nembot was recently nominated as an external examiner of MA (Economics) and Master of Arts Dissertations in Applied Economics (MAAE) at the School of Economics, University of Dar es-Salaam, Tanzania. She also lectures periodically and supervises master’s theses at the Catholic University of Central Africa, Yaounde, Cameroon.

Her research interests include gender studies, household/mariage and health economics, and Labour policies. She is affiliated with the Centre for Equity, Well-being, and Development Studies (CEWDS) and the Laboratory of MicroEconomics of Development (LAMiED), University of Yaoundé II, Cameroon.

Head of Gender, Women’s Empowerment and the Care Economy, Nkafu Policy Institute

Sylvia Namondo
Sylvia Namondo

Ms. Namondo Sylvia is the Director of Operations of the Denis and Lenora Foretia Foundation. She has a Bachelors Degree and a Higher National Diploma in Accounting from the University of Bamenda.
Prior to joining the Foundation, Ms. Namondo worked as an Accountant in Rig Repairs International and a Sales Manager at Tazemil/Merckfoods. She also has skills in computerized accounting.

Director of Operations, Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation

Dr. Constantine Asahngwa
Dr. Constantine Asahngwa

Dr. Asahngwa Constantine holds a Ph.D. in Medical Anthropology from the University of Yaounde 1, Yaounde, Cameroon. He obtained his Master’s Degree in Medical Anthropology and Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology both from the University of Yaounde 1, Cameroon. He has served as Director for the Cameroon Center for Evidence-Based Health Care for 10 years as an evidence synthesis, translation, and utilization expert. He has also served as a Senior Adjunct Lecturer at the School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Adelaide, South Australia for 10 years, His research areas are in health policy, health systems, infectious diseases, and reproductive health.

Deputy Director, Health Policy and Research Division, Nkafu Policy Institute

Fabien Maxime Bivina Mvondo

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Executive Director, Cameroon Network of Adolescents And Young people living with HIV (RéCAJ+)

Dr. Julienne Stéphanie Mesumbe

Dr. Julienne Stéphanie Mesumbe is the Strategic Information, Continuous Quality Improvement, and Health Informatics Team Lead for the TIDE Cameroon program.  In this position, she oversees activities to improve program performance and equips employees and facility staff with the tools to manage and sustain continuous quality improvement methodologies.

Prior to joining Georgetown University, Dr. Mesumbe worked at the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation as the Strategic Information and Evaluation Manager and most recently as the Head the Program Optimization and Service Quality Improvement Unit for the HIV-Free and Atteindre95 projects.  Focused on the Center and Littoral regions of Cameroon, Dr. Mesumbe was responsible for producing strategic documents for quality improvement, and served as a resource for all staff at the site, district, and regional levels on quality management and performance improvement techniques. 

She has also worked at International Medical Corps, where she led monitoring and evaluation for a project on integrated health, nutrition care, and protection assistance for Central African Republic refugees in three regions of Cameroon. Before that, she worked as a Program Officer at M.A.SANTE, a national NGO, where she led monitoring and evaluation for the project “Sustainable Cholera Surveillance for Cameroon”, and later served as principal investigator for the project “SMS4Care: Community-based surveillance of morbidities and demographic indicators using text message on ODK Collect”.

Dr. Mesumbe obtained her Masters in Epidemiology and Public Health in the University of Dschang, Cameroon and PhD in Project Management from The National Valley University, USA.

Epidemiologist & M&E Specialist, Center for Global Health Practice and Impact, Georgetown University

Dr. Remadji Hoinathy

Remadji Hoinathy joined the ISS in March 2019 and is a Senior Researcher for Central Africa and the Great Lakes Region. He was previously a Senior Researcher based in N'Djamena, Chad. Before joining ISS, he headed the Human Sciences and Anthropology Research Center in Chad. Remadji is also a former fellow of the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology, Germany. His research focuses on natural resources governance and other socio-political dynamics in Chad. He has a PhD in social anthropology from Martin Luther University, Germany.

Senior Researcher Lake Chad Basin, Central Africa and Great Lakes, ISS

Ayuk Derick Ebai

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Head of Department, School of Business Management – The Brains University

Dr. Aristide Mabali

Titulaire d’un Doctorat en économie, obtenu au CERDI en 2016, Aristide MABALI a commencé ses études supérieures à l’Institut Sous-régional de la Statistique et de l’Economie Appliquée (ISSEA) de Yaoundé (Cameroun) où il sortit nanti d’un diplôme de Technicien Supérieur de la Statistique en 2008. Il intégra la même année l’Institut National de la Statistique du Tchad. Pendant deux années de suite, il participa activement à la fois à l’organisation du 2ème recensement général de la population du Tchad et à l’enquête MICS. Passionné par la recherche, il quitta le monde professionnel en 2010 pour intégrer, par voix de concours, le Centre d’Etudes et de Recherches sur le développement International (CERDI) en France. Il obtint un double Master au CERDI, un en économie du développement et un autre en analyse de projet de développement et un doctorat en Novembre 2016.

Publication Director, CROSET

Agenda

Day 1Day 2

August 05, 2025

08:00 - 09:00

Welcome and registration

09:00 - 09:30

Opening session:
Welcome address
Presentation of the program and its objectives
Round table discussion on participants' expectation

09:30 - 10:00

Keynote 1: The stakes of volatility in Central Africa for think tanks and civil society organizations

10:00 - 11:00

Session 1: VUCA leadership in times of crisis

11:00 - 11:30

 

Session 2: Leveraging AI to Navigate Volatile Environments

12:30 - 13:30

 

Lunch

13:30 - 15:00

Practical workshop: Developing a crisis management plan: scenarios and anticipations

15:00 - 15:45

Keynote 2: Crisis Communication

16:00 - 17:00

Session 3- Turning challenges into opportunities: volatility at the service of think tanks and civil society organizations

 

August 06, 2025

08:00 - 09:00

Arrival and registration

09:00 - 09:30

Summary of key points and lessons from the first day

09:30 - 10:45

High Panel discussion - Strengthening cooperations between think tanks/CSOs and their financial and technical partners in times of crisis

10:45 - 11:00

 

Networking time

11:00 - 12:00

Panel discussion 1:  Maintaining a Research infrastructures in difficult time

12:00 - 13:00

Lunch

13:00 - 14:00

 

Session 4- Cash-Flow management in times of crisis

13:00 - 14:00

Session 4- Cash-Flow management in times of crisis

 14:00 - 15:00

Keynote 3 – Building Strategic Partnership for Enhanced Resilience

15:00 - 16:00

Final Workshop - Financial and Strategic Resilience Plan

16:00 - 17:00

 

End of the day - Summary of the main findings of the two days. - Presentation of certificates to participants. - Closing remarks by the organizers

 

Detailed Course Content

The program is designed to deliver practical and interactive sessions tailored to the needs of think tank and CSO leaders featuring keynote presentations, workshops, panel discussions, conversations with policymakers, networking sessions, plenaries with brainstorming sessions led by experts and think tank leaders.

Modules include:

  • Strategic Leadership in Volatile Environment

  • Policy Advocacy and Influence

  • Building Resilient Organization

  • Advancing Gender Equity in Leadership

  • Regional Integration and Collaboration

Participation Fee

$ 200

Think tanks and CSO leaders

$150

Researchers
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$180

Participants from last year

$300

Late payment (missed deadline)

International Registration
Local Registration