What Goree Institute does

Gorée Institute is an independent pan-African non-profit organization registered as an Organisation d'Intérêt Public (OIP) with diplomatic status, founded on June 25, 1992, and headquartered on Gorée Island, Senegal. The institute operates as a policy research, convening, and capacity-building organization focused on democracy, governance, peace, and security across Africa, with stated program reach in 13 African countries in 2025. Its core product portfolio includes the Gorée Youth Leadership Academy (GYLA), the Power of Dialogue (PoD) program, the AGORA Youth regional innovation project, the RESDECS democracy and social cohesion research project, the African Peace Agora (APA) webinar series, the Island Positions policy briefs, and an annual Regional Youth Forum. Supporting infrastructure comprises the TERAL Conference Centre on Gorée Island, an online MOOC learning platform (academy.goreeinstitut.org), and the CREPEA documentary resources platform on elections (crepea.goreeinstitut.org), alongside a publication portfolio that has exceeded 650,000 downloads.

The institute serves a diverse set of beneficiaries including civil society organizations, youth leaders (aged 18-35, representing over 65% of the Sahel population), women and women's rights organizations working on the Women, Peace and Security agenda, government institutions, electoral bodies, and academic researchers. End beneficiaries receive services and publications free of charge. The institute's business model is grant-funded: revenue is derived primarily from bilateral and multilateral donors including the European Union (via Team Europe Democracy), BMZ (Germany), GIZ, AFD (France), the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Enabel (Belgium), Ford Foundation, and FID, supplemented by consortium-based co-implementation with partners such as NIMD, Equipop, WARC, DIAKONIA Burkina Faso, FAD Niger, Save the Children, and ECDPM. Programs are typically delivered through multi-year framework agreements and consortium structures, with the institute acting as both direct implementer and convening node for African civil society on democratic governance issues.

Name

Goree Institute

Legal name

Gorée Institute

Website

https://goreeinstitut.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Gorée Institute is a Senegal-based pan-African non-profit think tank founded in 1992 that conducts policy research, convenes stakeholders, and builds capacity on democracy, governance, peace, and security across 13 African countries, serving civil society, youth, women, governments, and researchers through grant-funded programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research and Advocacy Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Educational Support Services (611710), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Policy, Research & Advocacy Organizations (Nonprofit) (BPAGADAN), Technical Cooperation, Capacity Building & Policy Advisory Programs (BPADABAO), Democracy, Human Rights & Governance Assistance (BPADABAG)

Keywords

• Democracy research
• Peacebuilding programs
• Policy research think tank
• Youth leadership training
• Civil society capacity building

Headquarters

HQ city

Gorée

HQ country

Senegal

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Grant funding and donor support: Goree Institute operates as a non-profit organization funded primarily through grants and donations from international development partners, governments, and foundations. The organization implements programs with support from bilateral and multilateral donors.
2. Conference and training services: The organization generates some revenue through its TERAL conference center and training programs including the Gorée Youth Leadership Academy (GYLA) and other capacity-building initiatives for civil society and youth leaders.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Gorée Institute is a non-profit Pan-African think tank that produces policy research and publications, convenes dialogue forums, and delivers leadership and capacity-building programs on democracy, peace, governance, and security across West Africa and the Sahel. Its core offerings include the Gorée Youth Leadership Academy (GYLA), Power of Dialogue (PoD), AGORA Youth, RESDECS research project, African Peace Agora webinars, and Island Positions policy briefs. It is funded primarily through grants and donations from international development partners.

Product overview

Gorée Institute operates as a Center for Democracy, Development and Culture in Africa, offering a portfolio of interconnected programs and platforms focused on peace-building, democratic governance, and youth leadership in Africa. The core offerings include the Gorée Youth Leadership Academy (GYLA) for leadership development, Power of Dialogue (PoD) for political dialogue, AGORA Youth for democratic innovation networking, RESDECS for democracy research and early warning, African Peace Agora (APA) for expert discussions, Island Positions policy briefs for analytical publications, and an annual Regional Youth Forum. Supporting infrastructure includes the TERAL Conference Centre, an online MOOC academy platform, and an Electoral Resources platform. The organization publishes various materials including books, reports, policy briefs, annual reports, and newsletters through its publications program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Power of Dialogue (PoD): Program focused on dialogue and political engagement
• Gorée Youth Leadership Academy (GYLA)
• AGORA Youth
• African Peace Agora (APA)
• Island Positions
• RESDECS

Products and services

• Gorée Youth Leadership Academy (GYLA) A leadership academy that forms, supports, and accompanies young leaders to play a structuring role in the socio-political and economic dynamics of the continent, developing responsible, competent leadership anchored in public service values.
• Power of Dialogue (PoD) A program focused on dialogue and political engagement between stakeholders on governance and peace issues in West Africa and the Sahel.
• AGORA Youth (Agora Régionale des Jeunes Leaders pour l'innovation de la démocratie) A regional project that supports innovative initiatives for democracy by networking local actors, particularly young people from 10 African countries, promoting dialogue, capacity building, and accompanying concrete democratic innovation projects.
• RESDECS (Recherche au Service de la Démocratie et de la Cohésion Sociale) A research project that uses early warning systems and policy briefs to strengthen democracy and social cohesion in Senegal, Guinea, and Côte d'Ivoire, co-funded by the European Union.
• African Peace Agora (APA) A webinar series bringing together experts and practitioners to discuss peace, security, and governance issues in West Africa and the Sahel.
• Island Positions (Policy Briefs Series) Policy brief publications providing analysis and recommendations on governance, peace, security, democracy, and social cohesion issues in Africa.
• Forum Régional de la Jeunesse An annual regional youth forum providing a framework for dialogue, reflection, learning, and exchange of experiences on citizenship, governance, peace, and stability in the Sahel.
• Centre de conférence TERAL Conference center facility operated by the institute for hosting events, meetings, and training sessions.
• MOOC Platform (Online Courses) Online learning platform providing courses on democracy, governance, peace, and leadership topics.
• Electoral Resources Platform (CREPEA) Documentary resources platform on elections providing data and analysis on electoral processes.

Quantifiable outcome

• Early warning reports covering Senegal, Guinea, and Côte d'Ivoire with regular monitoring and policy recommendations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• NIMD (Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIMD is a key partner supporting democracy programs in West Africa. The organization works with Goree Institute on shared goals of strengthening democratic governance and political participation across the region.
• EquipopcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEquipop collaborates with Goree Institute on feminist peace and security agendas in West Africa and the Sahel, working jointly on the 'Agendas Féministes, Paix et Sécurité' program.
• ECDPM (European Centre for Development Policy and Management)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerECDPM collaborates with Goree Institute on policy research and knowledge sharing regarding development and governance in Africa.
• Save the ChildrenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSave the Children partners with Goree Institute on child rights protection and civil society strengthening programs.
• Enabel (Belgian Development Agency)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEnabel co-implements the RESDECS project with Goree Institute, providing technical expertise and funding for democracy and social cohesion programs in West Africa.
• GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit)majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGIZ co-implements the Team Europe Democracy program with Enabel, supporting Goree Institute's democracy and governance work.
• WARC (Women in Alternative Action)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWARC partnered with Goree Institute on the study of UN Resolution 1325 implementation in West Africa and the Sahel, providing research expertise on women's peace and security agendas.
• DIAKONIA Burkina FasocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDIAKONIA Burkina Faso is part of the consortium implementing the feminist peace and security agenda program with Goree Institute, Equipop, and FAD Niger.
• FAD NigercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAD Niger collaborates with Goree Institute in the consortium for feminist peace and security agendas in West Africa and the Sahel.
• Fondation pour l'innovation pour la démocratiemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation for Democracy Innovation partners with Goree Institute on the AGORA regional project supporting youth innovation for democracy in West Africa and the Sahel.
• École de Maintien de la Paix Alioune Blondin BeyemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe peacekeeping school partners with Goree Institute on youth forums and peace education programs, particularly for the annual Regional Youth Forum.
• KPSRL (Knowledge Platform Security & Rule of Law)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKPSRL collaborates with Goree Institute on knowledge sharing and research regarding security and rule of law in Africa.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• International IDEA: Intergovernmental organisation supporting democratic processes worldwide; overlaps with Gorée on elections, constitutional design and political party support in West Africa, but operates at significantly larger scale and global footprint.
• Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS): German political foundation with extensive Africa programming on rule of law, political participation and civic education; a broad incumbent peer and frequent implementer of Team Europe Democracy–style programs alongside Gorée Institute.
• Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES): German political foundation operating across West Africa on social democracy, labour rights and civic participation; comparable in convening role and democracy-support mandate, though with significantly larger budget and global footprint.
• National Democratic Institute (NDI): US-funded democracy assistance organisation active across Africa on elections, political parties and civic participation; comparable in democracy-promotion mission but with materially greater resources and global brand.
• International Republican Institute (IRI): US-based organisation supporting democratic institutions and political parties globally, with significant West Africa programming; a broad incumbent peer in democracy assistance and civic capacity building.

Direct peers

• Afrobarometer: Pan-African research network producing high-quality public opinion data on democracy, governance and livelihoods; comparable as a research-driven, donor-funded platform producing widely cited outputs on African political dynamics.
• Institute for Security Studies (ISS Africa): Pan-African policy research organisation producing analysis on peace, security, governance and criminal justice across the continent; highly comparable in its mix of policy briefs, convenings and applied research on West African and Sahel dynamics.
• Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD): Dutch-based democracy support organisation working on inclusive political participation in Africa, Latin America and Asia; a direct partner of Gorée Institute and a close peer in multiparty dialogue programming and political-party capacity building.
• Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD): West Africa-focused think tank headquartered in Lagos with a long history of research and programming on democracy, governance, elections and security — the closest direct regional peer to Gorée Institute in mission and thematic scope.
• West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI): Ghana-based intermediary supporting civil society organisations across West Africa through capacity building, research and convening — closely comparable in regional scope, civil-society strengthening mission and donor-funded model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/goreeinstitute
• Facebookfacebook.com/goreeinstitute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Goree Institute