ABSTRACT
An increasing amount of attention has been focused on understanding the role of think tanks in the policy process and how it might be enhanced. The nongovernmental, nonprofit think tanks identified for economic policy analysis do not comprise the entire population of think tanks in sub-Saharan Africa. Perhaps the most striking characteristic of African think tanks is their proliferation. The majority of African think tanks were founded by university professors who possessed a significant amount of international and governmental experience. In addition to the local personalities who took primary responsibility for the formation of think tanks, these groups also benefited from the assistance of international colleagues and government agencies. The Center for International Private Enterprise survey attempted to gain insight into the conditions and challenges facing think tanks in sub-Saharan Africa by asking respondents to list three of their most significant strengths as well as three weaknesses. Most African think tanks appear to have very different attitudes toward financial sustainability.
