The Africa Initiative (AI) is a multi-year, donor-supported program, with three components: a research program, an exchange program and an online portal. A joint undertaking by CIGI in cooperation with Makerere University, AI aims to contribute to the deepening of Africa’s capacity and knowledge in five thematic areas — conflict resolution, energy, food security, health and migration, with special attention to the crosscutting issue of climate change.

Three main components comprise the Africa Initiative:

• The research program supports innovative field-based research on critical policy issues of importance to Africa. Research findings aim to inform policymaking and to contribute to the overall African research enterprise.
• The exchange program supports short-term academic placements through grants for African and Canadian graduate students undertaking research on Africa. Each year the program offers a select number of students an opportunity to discover and impart new learning and research in a cross-cultural experience. 
• The Africa Portal is an online knowledge resource for policy-related issues on Africa. It equips users with research and information on Africa’s current policy issues and offers a forum to share insights and publish work on pressing areas of concern to policymakers and the public.