ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the nature and purpose of the work of the German political foundations. The German political foundations are usually identified with the 'partisan approach' meaning that they collaborate only with parties of kindred ideological direction: liberal, social democratic or Christian. For instance, in Germany itself, where the political foundations operate in the civic education sector, German party law proscribes support to any political party. The chapter analyses the challenges that the foundations face in sub-Saharan Africa as well as describing the activities that are related to political parties in Africa. It assesses whether the foundations actually address the African challenge adequately. The following approaches in party assistance have been identified, which are used as a heuristic tool in the absence of a proper evaluation of the foundations' party assistance: party-to-party or partisan; multipartisan; cross-party dialogue; institutional focus; and international party linkage approach.
