The Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) is an independent, pan-African, non-governmental research organisation founded in 1973 by African researchers.
Its establishment was driven by a desire to build an autonomous Pan-African scientific community capable of interpreting realities in Africa and contributing to scholarly, public and policy debates on African and global issues. Research and knowledge production are key to Africa’s transformation. The participation of Africans in these activities is indispensable for shaping narratives that will benefit Africa and its peoples.
CODESRIA, therefore, is about building a strong and vibrant African social science and humanities research community. It serves to mobilise a greater understanding of the challenges facing Africa and the world in order to overcome these challenges. To do so, CODESRIA facilitates and supports social science and humanities research by scholars in Africa and the African diaspora across the world through a variety of programmes.
CODESRIA is headquartered in Dakar, Senegal and is accredited with diplomatic status in Senegal, a status that grants various immunities to support effective intellectual engagement.
Two key documents formalise the Council’s establishment and identify its intellectual and institutional development and priorities: the CODESRIA Charter and the CODESRIA Strategic Plan.
