Africa: Innovation and leadership

REPAOC is a network of West and Central African NGOs. Through the membership of 8 national NGO platforms REPAOC actually represents more than 500 local, national and international NGOs who operate on the field.

REPAOC?s aim? To forge unison and to contribute to the emergence of sub – regional non governmental diplomacy in Africa through mutual help.

The nations that are represented by REPAOC?s platforms are Benin, Burkina-Faso, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Chad and Togo. All have come together to ensure that the voices of NGOs who work daily in the difficult situations found in these national territories be heard at international governmental and non-governmental meetings.

Recent funding has enabled the construction of a communications centre in Dakar to facilitate the exchange of information between the member organisations. In January 2008 a number of publications on themes such as the environmental threats posed by desertification, GMOs and pollution, child labour, the arms trade and NGO diplomacy are expected, while regional workshops will be arranged throughout the year.

Aho Tete Benissan, who is in charge of strategic network support for REPAOC, believes that REPAOC must have the confidence to set out a direction and influence others to follow it: ?the voice of African civil society will only be strong if it can rely on strong coalitions?.

For more info:
www.repaoc.org