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This article was written by the Nkafu Policy Institute as part of the publication of the 2024 On Think Tanks State of the Sector Report. Explore the report and resources here.
There is an adage that says, “A think tank without engagement is like a ship without a sail,” emphasising the importance of stakeholder engagement for think tanks in achieving their goals. But how does engagement fare in a context filled with socioeconomic and political uncertainty, where the notion of think tanks is relatively new? In a country like Cameroon, where engaging with stakeholders can be challenging due to government interference, lack of trust, and limited resources, are think tanks truly living up to their lofty title as “catalysts for change”? Or are they merely academic exercises?
Think tanks act as connectors, translating academic research into accessible information for informed policymaking. Yet, imagine a think tank that develops brilliant policy recommendations but fails to engage with those who could actually implement them. In such cases, is the impact truly realised?
Think tanks and civil societies have evolved in Cameroon since the 90s to respond to various societal, economic, and political challenges. In February 2023, for example, the African Union recognised the contribution of think tanks in advancing sustainable development, mainly in the areas of research, knowledge management, and advocacy. Hence, think tanks in Cameroon ought to leverage their ability to engage with stakeholders effectively to remain relevant in a fast-changing world.
In this perspective, this blog post assesses the level of engagement of think tanks with various stakeholders, including government bodies, academic institutions, and the general public, based on a recent survey of think tanks in the country carried out by On Think Tanks, a global consultancy and platform for change. This survey was done in 36 countries around the world last August 23. In Cameroon, three think tanks responded to a variety of questions, including stakeholders’ engagement. In so doing, think tanks would improve their actions and strategies to meet stakeholders’ needs and expectations better. To achieve this, we will firstly present the current landscape of think tanks and stakeholders in Cameroon; secondly, assess the engagement of think tanks with stakeholders in Cameroon; and finally, we conclude with some policy recommendations on actions and strategies to improve think tanks’ engagement with stakeholders.
Current Landscape of Think Tanks and Stakeholders in Cameroon
Analysis from the survey portrays that the think tank landscape in Cameroon is relatively young, with 66.67% of think tanks founded between 2010 and 2019 and 33.33% founded in 2020 or later. The majority of think tanks in Cameroon are registered as non-profits (100%) and work at the local (100%), national (100%), and continental/regional (66.67%) levels. They work at various levels, including local (100%), national (100%), continental/regional (66.67), and global (33.33%). Most think tanks have a board of trustees or directors (100%), distinct research teams and divisions (66.67%), a communications team (100%), a finance division (100%), and a dedicated fundraising executive or team (33.33%).
The research and policy agenda in Cameroon is driven primarily by government bodies (33.33%), think tanks (33.33%), and academic institutions (33.33%). The main policy issue that think tanks in Cameroon believe should be prioritized is economics (66.67%), followed by education (33.33%). Moreover, 50% of respondents agree that there is a critical shortage of staff with the necessary skills, and 66.67% strongly agree that their organisation is facing challenges due to a shortage of new funding sources.
Regarding challenges, most respondents (100%) agree that their organisation has a satisfactory ability to adapt to challenges, yet one of the major challenges faced by think tanks in Cameroon is the lack of funding. According to the survey, 66.67% of think tanks in Cameroon receive less than USD 100,000 in funding per year. This limited funding can make it difficult for think tanks to engage with stakeholders, as they may not have the resources to organize events, conduct research, or communicate their findings effectively.
Think Tank’s Engagement with Stakeholders
One of the major challenges faced by think tanks in Cameroon is fundraising (Kouam et al., 2024). The survey reports that only 33.33% of think tanks in Cameroon have a dedicated fundraising executive or team. This limited capacity can make it difficult for think tanks to engage with stakeholders and promote informed decision-making.
Overall, think tanks in Cameroon have a mixed picture of their capacity to engage with stakeholders:
Firstly, think tanks in Cameron reported that they have limited access to decision-makers. According to the survey, think tanks in Cameroon have a moderate level of engagement with government bodies. 33.33% have a strong relationship with government bodies, while 33.33% reported a weak relationship. The remaining 33.33% reported having no relationship at all. This suggests that there is room for improvement in terms of building stronger relationships between think tanks and government bodies.
Secondly, there is a weak engagement with academic institutions. Think tanks in Cameroon also have a moderate level of engagement with academic institutions. The survey found that 33.33% of think tanks reported collaborating with academic institutions on research projects, while 33.33% reported having no collaboration at all. This highlights the need for think tanks to build stronger relationships with academic institutions to leverage their expertise and resources.
Thirdly, regarding the politics in Cameroon, the survey found that the political situation in the country has had a neutral impact on think tanks, with 66.67% of respondents indicating no impact. In comparison, 33.33% had an unfavourable political situation in the last 12 months. In this context, 66.67% of think tanks in Cameroon reported that political polarisation has impacted their ability to do research and operate. Meanwhile, most think tanks (100%) reported having no difficulty engaging with individuals from different political affiliations. This suggests that think tanks in Cameroon are committed to promoting inclusiveness and diversity in their work.
Finally, the majority of Cameroon’s think tanks are now using social media such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to communicate. Hence, the survey found that 100% of think tanks reported using social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to disseminate their research and policy recommendations. Also, they consider social media engagement metrics important (33.33%) to very important (66.67%) indicators of their impact. This can ease think tanks’ ability to reach their targeted audiences extensively with their policies.
Actions and strategies to improve think tanks’ engagement with stakeholders
Based on the provided findings, here are some proposed actions and strategies to improve think tanks’ engagement with stakeholders in Cameroon:
Leverage social media to promote their work and engage with stakeholders: Invest in website development, social media management, and content creation to increase online visibility and engagement. This means also developing targeted outreach strategies to engage with diverse audiences, including social media campaigns, community events, and stakeholder meetings.
Building strong relationships with government bodies and academic institutions means establishing partnerships with academic institutions to co-produce research, host joint events, and engage in collaborative policy advocacy.
Conclusion
In conclusion, despite challenges, think tanks in Cameroon have persisted and engaged in research activities, publications, and advocacy. They play a crucial role in shaping the country’s landscape. While they have made progress in engaging with stakeholders, there is still room for improvement, especially regarding government bodies and academic institutions. By building stronger relationships with government bodies and academic institutions, increasing collaboration with civil society organisations, leveraging social media, and promoting inclusiveness and diversity, think tanks in Cameroon can increase their impact and contribute to the country’s development.
