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Participants at the CORE Dakar workshop
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CORE research teams meet at last in Dakar, Senegal

The CORE initiative marked an important milestone earlier this year: the first in-person learning workshop after more than two years of online interactions and virtual activities. Over fifty participants from twenty international research teams gathered from 17 to 19 January 2023 in Dakar, Senegal. The aim was to share knowledge and experiences of how to frame research for policy and practice and identify cross-CORE project collaborations around engaging with regional and global policy processes.

The CORE initiative marked an important milestone earlier this year: the first in-person learning workshop after more than two years of online interactions and virtual activities. Over forty participants from twenty international research teams gathered from 17 to 19 January 2023 in Dakar, Senegal. 

The aim was to share knowledge and experiences of how to frame research for policy and practice and identify cross-CORE project collaborations around engaging with regional and global policy processes.

One participant remarked “I really appreciated the group sessions and the sharing of experiences on the work carried out by research institutions.” 

 

Male and female researchers from all around the world standing together on a spiral staircase.

Policy event sharing experiences of Covid-19 in West Africa

On the last day, a policy-focused event was organised to better understand the Senegalese’s experience connecting COVID-19 related research findings with policy. Chaired by Julie Crowley, Regional Director, IDRC Central and West Africa, the keynote address was given by Mr Mouhamadou Bamba Diop, Director-General of the Ministère de l’Économie du Plan et de la Coopération. Mr Bamba spoke about how evidence informed Senegal’s response to the crisis and lessons for the future use of research to build long term recovery and resilience in the region. His keynote speech was followed by presentations from a panel of experts who contributed their own technical perspectives from development agencies, civil society and research, on how evidence can be utilised most effectively.  The distinguished panel was comprised of:
  • Mme. Muriel Ametoglo, Regional Feminist Economist, UN Women
  • Mme. Ramatoulaye Diallo, Présidente du Comité de Plaidoyer Basé sur les Données
  • Prof. Alban Ahoure, Director of CIRES’s Economic Policy Analysis Unit (CAPEC)
 
Male and female policy experts sat along a top table sharing their experiences of Covid-19 in Senegal and Cote d'Ivoire
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Partners

Kenya
Established in 1988, the African Economic Research Consortium is a capacity building institution to inform economic policies in sub-Saharan Africa. AERC has three primary components: research, training and policy outreach. The organization integrates economic policy research, postgraduate training and policy outreach within a network of researchers, universities and policy makers in Africa and worldwide.
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The Arab Reform Initiative is an independent Arab think tank working with expert partners in the Middle East and North Africa and beyond to articulate a home-grown agenda for democratic change. It conducts research and policy analysis and provides a platform for inspirational voices based on the principles of diversity, impartiality, gender equality and social justice.
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Guatemala
ASIES is a private, non-profit think tank whose mission is to contribute to strengthening the democratic rule of law and development of Guatemala through research and advocacy.
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Argentina
Asuntos del Sur generates knowledge and develops tools to strengthen political innovation processes and actions. They also provide specialized training and promote the formation of collaborative networks.
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Cambodia
CDRI works to produce independent, objective, high quality policy-relevant development research, to maximise its accessibility to policy makers, influencers and stakeholders.
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Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa

Cȏte d'Ivoire
CIRES undertakes research concerning the economic and social problems of Côte d'Ivoire, and the countries of the Sub-Region, in order to find solutions to the problems identified. They provide regional training and continuing education in economics, management and sociology as well as organising high level seminars and forums.
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Uganda
The Economic Policy Research Centre was established in 1993 to fill fundamental voids in economics research, policy analysis, and capacity building for effective in-country contributions to Uganda’s policy processes. Today EPRC is a reputable, credible and independent policy think tank in Uganda renowned for providing research based evidence and policy analysis to support the formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of government policies.
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Foro Social de Deuda Externa y Desarrollo de Honduras (FOSDEH)

Peru
GRADE is a non-profit research center with no political affiliation. Its mission is to develop applied research to stimulate and enrich the debate, design and implementation of public policy. GRADE undetakes economic, educational, environmental and social studies in areas relevant to the development of Peru and other Latin American countries. The institution aims to disseminate the results of its work to policy makers and the general public.
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Groupe de Recherche et d’Analyse Appliquées pour le Développement

Rwanda
IPAR-Rwanda conducts research and analysis on public policies with the goal to inform proper policy formulation and implementation. Core areas of focus include Agriculture, Rural Development and Settlements, Social Development, Governance, Economic Growth and Transformation, Environment and Natural Resources Management.
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Instituto de Estudios Peruanos

ICRW is a global research institute with offices located in Washington, D.C.; New Delhi, India; Nairobi, Kenya; and Kampala, Uganda. Their research evidence identifies women’s contributions as well as the obstacles that prevent them from being economically strong and able to fully participate in society. ICRW translates these insights into a path of action that honours women’s human rights, ensures gender equality and creates the conditions in which all women can thrive.
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Laboratoire d’Analyse Quantitative Appliquée au Développement

LIRNEasia

Ethiopia
The Organization for Social Science Research in Eastern and Southern Africa (OSSREA) is a regional membership-based and donor-supported research and capacity-building organization whose mission is to promote dialogue and interaction between researchers and policy-makers in Eastern and Southern Africa with a view to enhancing the impact of research on policy-making and development planning.
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OSSREA Kenya Chapter

Kenya
Partnership for Economic Policy (PEP) is a Southern-led global organisation dedicated to supporting development in the Global South. PEP does this by providing high-quality, locally-generated evidence that informs better decisions in policy and practice. To achieve this, PEP supports the work, strengthens the capacity and promotes the findings of local researchers in developing countries; facilitates engagement and collaboration between researchers and policymakers; and creates a space for learning and knowledge-sharing between researchers throughout the globe.
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Research ICT Africa (RIA) is an African think tank that has operated for over a decade to fill a strategic gap in the development of a sustainable information society and network knowledge economy. It has done so by building the ICT policy and regulatory research capacity needed to inform effective ICT governance in Africa. It hosts an African network which extends across the continent and further collaborates and leverages its activities through national, regional and continental partnerships.
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Chile
Rimisp is a network for the articulation and generation of knowledge, which works to understand the transformations of the rural world and contribute to the formulation of better strategies and policies for sustainable and inclusive development.
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Southern Voice

Pakistan
SDPI's mission is to catalyse the transition towards sustainable development, defined as the enhancement of peace, social justice and well-being, within and across generations. The think tank, founded in August 1992, is based in Islamabad, Pakistan. SDPI was created on the recommendation of the Pakistan National Conservation Strategy which outlined the need for an independent non-profit organization to serve as a source of expertise for policy analysis and development, policy intervention, and policy and program advisory services.
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The Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation

Universidad de Icesi

Senegal
The Laboratoire d'Analyse des Politiques de Développement (LAPD)
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WIEGO is a global network focused on empowering the working poor, especially women, in the informal economy to secure their livelihoods. WIEGO believe that all workers should have equal economic opportunities, rights, protection and voice. WIEGO promotes change by improving statistics and expanding knowledge on the informal economy, building networks and capacity among informal worker organizations and, jointly with the networks and organizations, influencing local, national and international policies.
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Associated Project

Informal Workers and COVID-19: Evidence-Based Responses to the Crisis at the Base of the Economic Pyramid

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Sowing Development: Small Scale Agriculture and Food Security Resilient to Covid-19

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A New Digital Deal for an Inclusive Post-COVID-19 Social Compact: Developing Digital Strategies for Social and Economic Reconstruction

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Simulations and Field Experiments of Policy Responses and Interventions to Promote Inclusive Adaptation to and Recovery from the COVID-19 Crisis

This project focuses on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the effectiveness of current and potential policies in 11 developing countries to identify more effective and inclusive policy responses […]

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COVID-19 and the Youth Question in Africa: Impact, Response and Protection Measures in the IGAD Region (COYOQA)

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Building back better: Using a disruptive crisis to achieve sustainable and gender inclusive improvements in food security, labor markets and social protection

What cost-effective policy options and, crucially, what unforeseen opportunities exist for Latin America and the Global South to reduce the socio-economic impacts of the pandemic, promote a more equitable recovery […]

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Mitigating Socio-Economic Impacts of COVID-19 and Promoting Post-Pandemic Resilience in Uganda

This project focuses on policies, measures, and strategies to mitigate the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19, as well as interventions required to re-activate resilience of the Ugandan economy post COVID-19. Using […]

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REBUILD: COVID-19 & Women in the Informal Economy in Kenya, Uganda & India

This project focuses on urban informal economic activities across three countries (India, Kenya, and Uganda), where the researchers will provide critical insights into the resilience of and challenges faced by […]

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The Impact of COVID-19 on Inclusive Development and Democratic Governance: Rapid and Post-Pandemic Assessment in the Mekong Subregion

This project aims to support inclusive, coordinated, and gender-sensitive responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam. It will create assessments of the socioeconomic impacts of the […]

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Promoting Resilience in COVID-19 in MENA: Building Inclusive and Effective Social Protection and Safety Nets

This project focuses on the promotion of inclusive and effective social protections and safety nets during and post-COVID-19 in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Tunisia. Social safety nets are interpreted differently […]

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The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Livelihoods in Africa

This project focuses on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on livelihoods in selected African countries, with special emphasis on vulnerable groups. Specifically, the project will evaluate macroeconomic consequences of […]

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Supporting Small and Medium Enterprises, Food Security, and Evolving Social Protection Mechanisms to Deal with COVID-19 in Pakistan

This project will map formal and informal small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the country and provide evidence on the effectiveness of a stimulus package for SMEs to the Ministry […]

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Shaping the Macro-Economy in Response to COVID-19: A Responsible Economic Stimulus, a Stable Financial Sector, and a Revival in Exports

This project aims to contribute to the knowledge on macroeconomic policies that are key for low-income countries’ responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. The impacts of the pandemic on the economies […]

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COVID-19 Macroeconomic Policy Response in Africa

This project will generate evidence to support policy makers, specifically finance ministries, to promote equitable socioeconomic and sustainable environmental policies and interventions, in the short and longer term. The project […]

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Improving the Targeting of Public Policies for Decent Work in Francophone Africa in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

This project seeks to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on small informal businesses in Benin, Cameroon, Morocco, and Senegal. It will explore policy options for targeted support to […]

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Impacts of Public Policies Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Informal Sector, Young People, and Women: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, and Senegal

This project will document and analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on vulnerable groups in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, and Senegal, . Using qualitative and quantitative techniques the […]

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Providing Timely Evidence to Facilitate the Socio-Economic Recovery from the COVID-19 Pandemic in Rwanda

This project aims to facilitate evidence-based decision making to provide appropriate socio-economic responses to the COVID-19 outbreak in Rwanda. The project will collect data on a set of 10,000 households […]

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Colabora.Lat: Towards a New Model of Governance after Covid-19

The ‘Colabora.Lat: hacia un modelo de gobernanza post covid-19’ project focuses on 1) understanding the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on social relations, trust, and collective action, especially among women […]

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Socio-Economic Impact of COVID-19 on African Economies, Social Cohesion, and Governance: Evidence from Benin, Burkina Faso and South Africa

This project will contribute to policies and strategies to address the immediate and longer-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on economies, social cohesion, and governance in Benin, Burkina Faso, and […]

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