GROUPE INITIATIVE AFRICA (GIAF) is an independent pan-African think tank that aims to bring together leaders from different sectors of society who are driven by the desire to initiate the necessary transformational changes to truly make a difference in Africa.

Since its creation in 2011 in Yamoussoukro under the chairmanship of the late Charles Konan Banny, former Prime Minister of Côte d’Ivoire, GIAF has organized five international conferences:

“Governance: What Structural Changes Are Necessary?” (2011); “How to Strengthen State Effectiveness in Africa?” (2012); “African Youth: A Ticking Time Bomb or Historic Opportunity?” (2014); “How to Rebuild the Dynamics of Regional Integration?” (2017); “In a Changing World, What New Beginnings for Africa?” (2023);

These conferences bring together around fifty high-level figures from the worlds of politics, the military, business, academia, and civil society for two to three days under the Chatham House rule (not open to the general public).

By combining all these analytical perspectives, using the Aspen method, recommendations are established that should facilitate decision-making by public and private decision-makers.

The GIAF is also a network of around one hundred members, all co-opted, grouped into country branches. They monitor the recommendations.

A youth activity has also been added since 2021, led by a dynamic youth group. It aims to ensure that young people take ownership of the group’s work and enrich it through monthly webinars.

All of these activities make the GROUPE INITIATIVE AFRICA -GIAF one of the main think tanks in Africa and at the same time, an action group that follows and commits to the effective implementation of its recommendations.