Foreign aid is commonly presented as a mechanism for financing development, strengthening public services and supporting economic transformation across Africa. But development assistance can also create commercial opportunities for companies from donor countries, particularly when funding is connected to procurement, technology, consultancy

Africa’s research agenda is increasingly becoming part of a wider debate over intellectual sovereignty, as universities, think tanks and researchers across the continent confront heavy dependence on international funding. Foreign financing has played an important role in expanding African research capacity, supporting