Events
Attendees
Articles Published
Books Distributed
Our Vision:
We work with think tanks across Africa and help support them in their activities and outputs that champion free trade and economic liberalism. By working to remove barriers to trade, both tariff and non-tariff alike, we aim to help usher in a new era of prosperity across the continent.
To help us accomplish this goal, we are grateful for the generous and continued support of the Rising Tide Foundation. Thanks to their support, over the next couple of years the IATP and its partners will create several papers, host dozens of events, publish over a hundred articles, and distribute more than ten thousand books. Here are just some of the organisations the IATP is working with:
Activities:
We are proud to support our partners in promoting economic freedom across Africa. Here are some of our most recent projects and collaborations:
Activity: Kazoza Fellowship
Date: November 2025 – April 2026
Location: Burundi
Overview: Centre for Development and Enterprises Great Lakes launched and delivered the first phase of their Local Public Policy Research Fellowship (LPPRF) Kazoza Project, a six-month programme designed to train Burundi’s next generation of policy researchers and analysts. A national open call attracted 273 applicants, from whom 30 fellows were selected through a competitive multi-stage process, with the top 15 awarded financial support contracts for the full programme duration.
Fellows participated in five structured training sessions drawing on French translations of IEA primers by Eamonn Butler as core texts. Professor Siméon Barumwete introduced the conceptual foundations of liberal democracy using An Introduction to Democracy; CDE CEO Aimable Manirakiza led sessions on converting economic concepts into researchable questions using An Introduction to Trade and Globalisation and on the broader responsibilities of evidence-based researchers; Janvier Cishahayo facilitated a session on SMEs and entrepreneurship using An Introduction to Entrepreneurship, and a practical session on op-ed writing and video scripting for effective policy advocacy. Two public panel discussions, one on the links between research and democratic culture, moderated by Benimana Citizen Heaven with contributions from Manirakiza and Professor Barumwete, and a second on research and evidence-based advocacy, facilitated by Ella Ségolène Ininahazwe, complemented the training sessions. Two thematic sessions delivered by CDE research fellows examined Burundi’s delayed adoption of the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) within AfCFTA, and the case for agricultural liberalisation as a lever for food security reform respectively.
Activity: Next Advocate of Liberty Project
Date: November 2025 – April 2026
Location: Nigeria
Overview: The Liberalist Centre for Education launched the Next Advocates of Liberty Project across Nigerian university campuses, combining competitive student selection, structured virtual preparation, in-person seminars, and sustained follow-up study circles to introduce university students to foundational free-market ideas. Prior to the in-person events, selected students participated in two structured virtual orientation and book review sessions through dedicated WhatsApp groups, ensuring a high level of intellectual preparation before the campus seminars. Each one-day seminar combined morning sessions of guided discussion on Foundations of a Free Society and An Introduction to Capitalism by Eamonn Butler with afternoon workshops on op-ed writing, research framing, and presentation skills.
Activity: Africa Liberty Camp
Date: August 2025
Location: Uganda
Overview: Action for Liberty and Economic Development (ALED) hosted their 10th Annual Africa Liberty Camp, bringing together just over 100 participants. The camp included IEA book distribution and an essay competition, continuing ALED’s long-running tradition of youth-focused liberal education in Uganda.
Activity: Gitega Entrepreneurship Bootcamp
Date: August, 2025
Location: Burundi
Overview: Centre for Development and Enterprises Great Lakes delivered an entrepreneurship bootcamp in Gitega involving 50 entrepreneurs. Sessions covered fiscal policy, informality, business operations, and sustainable growth strategies, with the bootcamp documented through two training videos published online.
Activity: Bujumbura MSME Mini-Conference
Date: July 2025
Location: Burundi
Overview: Centre for Development and Enterprises – Great Lakes organised a national mini-conference in Bujumbura focused on MSME formalisation and access to capital markets. The event brought together 70 participants including policymakers, ministry officials, entrepreneurs, regulators, academics, journalists, and civil society leaders. Attendees received copies of the Entrepreneurship in Burundi manual produced by CDE for the project.
Activity: Journalism for Liberty Fellowship – Lusaka Bootcamp
Date: May, 2025
Location: Zambia
Overview: The Liberalist hosted an in-person journalism bootcamp in Nairobi as part of their Journalism for Liberty Fellowship 2025. Fifteen fellows attended the bootcamp, with content published through partner organisation Impact Center for Policy Research.
Activity: West Equatoria State Economic Freedom Outreach Programme
Date: January – March, 2025
Location: South Sudan
Overview: The Organization for Liberty and Entrepreneurship (OLENT) delivered a coordinated programme of events across West Equatoria State introducing foundational ideas of liberty, good governance, and economic freedom to a range of audiences. In Yambio, a community education programme engaged 43 young participants with key concepts from Foundations of a Free Society by Eamonn Butler, sparking local discussion on taxation and free trade. A public lecture at St. John Campus, Catholic University of South Sudan, reached a further 36 students and lecturers from multiple faculties. A leadership seminar then brought together 86 participants including civil society members, community leaders, church representatives, and youth leaders to discuss principles of liberty, economic growth, and pathways to reform. Across the three events, 165 people attended in person, while five accompanying radio broadcasts on Anisa FM reached an estimated 10,000+ listeners across the state.
Activity: Ibadan Enterprise Dialogue
Date: April, 2025
Location: Nigeria
Overview: Ominira Initiative held an Enterprise Dialogue at the University of Ibadan’s Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in partnership with Cirvee Academy. Fifty-two participants attended the event, which focused on entrepreneurship and free markets. All attendees received copies of the IEA primers An Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Foundations of a Free Society by Eamonn Butler.
Activity: Journalism for Liberty Fellowship – Abuja Bootcamp
Date: March, 2025
Location: Nigeria
Overview: The Liberalist Centre hosted an in-person journalism bootcamp in Abuja as part of their wider Journalism for Liberty Fellowship 2025. Twenty fellows attended intensive training sessions covering liberty-focused journalism, with IEA books distributed to participants. The bootcamp formed part of a broader programme spanning Nigeria, Kenya, and Zambia that trained 40 graduating fellows in total.
Activity: Abeokuta Enterprise Dialogue
Date: January, 2025
Location: Nigeria
Overview: Ominira Initiative held their Abeokuta Enterprise Dialogue in collaboration with the Nigeria Entrepreneurship Youth Initiative. The event brought private sector stakeholders together to discuss the challenging business environment that currently operates in Nigeria. In addition, attendees received the IEA Primer An Introduction to Entrepreneurship by Eamonn Butler.
Activity: Free Market Fellowship Kickoff
Date: January, 2025
Location: Uganda
Overview: ALED has officially started their “Free Market Fellowship” program with students from Nkumba University, Kyambogo University, and Mukarere University! The 9 students selected for the fellowship will navigate through complex topics relating to the ideas of a free society and attend the 10th annual Africa Liberty Camp this summer.
Activity: Book Discussion
Date: January, 2025
Location: South Sudan
Overview: OLENT recently held a training where participants discussed Eamonn Butler’s IEA Primer Foundations of a Free Society. With 20 participants from Western Equatoria State, OLENT is working hard to expand liberty and prosperity in South Sudan.
Activity: AfCFTA Opportunity Conference
Date: November, 2024
Location: Uganda
Overview: Action for Liberty and Economic Development (ALED) held an AfCFTA Opportunity Conference to help educate people living in the East African region about the benefits they stand to gain under the new trading environment. The event was a massive success, bringing together policymakers and private sector groups.
Activity: Colloque Francophone
Date: September, 2024
Location: Bujumbura, Burundi
Overview: CDE Great Lakes held a Colloque Francophone as part of their annual Freedom Week event! The Colloque’s theme was “Liberty, Responsibility and Innovation” and was held in a discussion & debate format to try and teach attendees about the fundamentals of the market economy.
Activity: Freedom Week Ideas Exchange
Date: September, 2024
Location: Bujumbura, Burundi
Overview: Another part of CDE Great Lakes’ Freedom Week was to hold an event where participants were encouraged to divide into groups, discuss ideas to solve a particular public policy issue, and then present those ideas to the entire audience. This Ideas Exchange fostered a collaborative environment where participants got to present ideas and receive feedback on their policy proposals.
Activity: Student Seminar and Book Distribution
Date: June, 2024
Location: Ibadan, Nigeria
Overview: Ominira Initiative held a seminar titles “Democracy in Nigeria: Prospects for Good Governance and National Prosperity.” The event was well attended, with over 150 students receiving books on democracy and/or entrepreneurship.
Activity: Book Distribution
Date: June, 2024
Location: Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Overview: Ominira Initiative held an event where they were able to distribute over 130 books to students at Rivers State University at their Democracy & Entrepreneurship Seminar.
Activity: Public-Private Dialogue
Date: December, 2023
Location: Kirundo, border of Burundi and Rwanda
Overview: Our partner in Burundi, CDE Burundi, held another public-private dialogue with government officials in Burundi at the Gasenyi-Nemba border. At the talk, solutions to existing trade barriers were discussed.
Activity: Public-Private Dialogue
Date: December, 2023
Location: Muyinga Province, border of Burundi and Tanzania
Overview: Our partner in Burundi, CDE Burundi, held their first public-private dialogue with government officials in northern Burundi. At the talk, solutions to existing trade barriers were discussed. These dialogues bring together a diverse array of stakeholders, fostering an environment conducive to increased trade.
Activity: Webinar on Trade and Food Security
Date: September, 2023
Location: Ibadan, Nigeria
Overview: Our partner in Nigeria, Ominira Initiative, has been holding a Trade & Development series that looks at how increased trade can improve Africa’s economic performance in a wide variety of areas.
Activity: Meeting with the Ministry of Defense
Date: June, 2023
Location: Kinshasa, DRC
Overview: Our partner in the Democratic Republic of Congo was able to meet with an official from the Ministry of Defense to talk about the need for free trade in the country.
Activity: Radio Show
Date: June, 2023
Location: Yambio, South Sudan
Overview: This June, representatives from SOLE appeared on Anisa FM radio to talk about free trade in South Sudan. They received over 50 calls on the topic and were able to reach thousands of listeners across the country.
Activity: Book Launch
Date: June, 2023
Location: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Overview: About 30 students gathered at the University of Dar es Salaam to attend an event, hosted by Liberty Sparks, to talk about Eamonn Butler’s An Introduction to Trade and Globalisation.
Activity: Book Launch
Date: June, 2023
Location: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Overview: Liberty Sparks brought together 24 participants to discuss how the AfCFTA can spur economic development in Tanzania. The event was held at the Mwalimu Nyerere Memorial Academy
Activity: Educational Webinar
Date: May, 2023
Location: Tanzania
Overview: Liberty Sparks, our Tanzanian partner, held a webinar on how free trade can help Africa’s environmental situation.
Activity: Student Seminar
Date: June, 2023
Location: Goma, DRC
Overview: CDE DRC held a fantastic event at the Great Lakes Superior Institute of Rural Development in the Democratic Republic of Congo. They had over 360 students join them to talk about how free trade can help the DRC going forward.
Activity: Trade and Business Summit – 2023
Date: May, 2023
Location: Yambio, South Sudan
Overview: 51 people gathered at SOLE’s two-day event to discuss non-tariff barriers, taxation, the AfCFTA, and much more! Their Trade and Business Summit was a success and we are hopeful for South Sudan’s future.
Activity: Radio Show Appearence
Date: May, 2023
Location: Yambio, South Sudan
Overview: SOLE continued their fantastic radio show appearances by appearing on Anisa FM radio twice this month. They spoke in both English and Arabic, and took 51 calls over the two shows from listeners!
Activity: Book Donation
Date: May, 2023
Location: Ibadan, Nigeria
Overview: Ominira Initiative donated 300 books to students and lecturers at the Department of Politics and International Relations at Lead City University. We love that Ominira is helping to spread the ideas of economic freedom in Nigeria!
Activity: Student Workshop
Date: May, 2023
Location: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Overview: Liberty Sparks met with 115 students at the Institute of Social Work in the country’s capital to talk about how trade can benefit Tanzania’s future.
Activity: Trade and Globalisation Student Event
Date: December, 2023
Location: College of Business and Education, Tanzania
Overview: Liberty Sparks held an event at one of Dar es Salaam’s colleges where they were able to give out 150 copies of Eamonn Butler’s An Introduction to Trade and Globalisation.
Activity: Webinar – Rules and Actors of Trade in Ancient Cameroon
Date: February, 2023
Location: Nkafu Policy Institute, Cameroon
Overview: This webinar focused on the rules that governed commercial exchanges in pre-colonial Cameroon, highlighting the fact that the practice of trade and exchange between nations and people groups is not new to Africa!
Activity: BNP Television Appearance
Date: March, 2023
Location: Bujumbura, Burundi
Overview: CDE Great Lakes has continued its great work in Burundi. In this photo, Aimable Manirakiza (Founder of CDE Great Lakes) is seen on TV discussing their latest research regarding how free trade can benefit Burundi.
Activity: Anisa FM Radio Show
Date: March, 2023
Location: Yambio, South Sudan
Overview: SOLE continued its fantastic push to spread free markets in South Sudan by appearing on Anisa FM radio twice this month. Shows are often held in three languages (Arabic, English, and Zande) and 40 callers asked questions and made comments about the program.
Activity: Free Trade Workshop with Civil Society Leaders
Date: November, 2022
Location: Cap Kivu Hotel, Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo
Overview: CDE DRC put on an important meeting where they dispensed 30 copies of their policy brief “The Congo we Want” to civil society leaders. In addition, 30 copies of Eamonn Butler’s An Introduction to Trade and Globalisation were distributed.
Activity: Student Event – The Higher Institute of Computer Science and Management
Date: February, 2023
Location: Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo
Overview: CDE DRC put on an incredible event that brought together 250 students to talk about trade! Attendees also received a copy of Eamonn Butler’s An Introduction to Trade and Globalisation in French.
Activity: Student Event – Ardhi University
Date: February, 2023
Location: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Overview: The IATP was delighted to support Liberty Sparks’ student event at Ardhi University, located just north of the nation’s capital. At the event, students learnt about trade, globalisation and the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Activity: Border Workshop – Unlocking Trade in Burundi
Date: January, 2023
Location: Ruhwa Border – Burundi/Rwanda
Overview: Centre for Development and Enterprises Great Lakes held a great event with over 40 entrepreneurs and cross-border traders at the Burundi-Rwanda border. Those in attendance learned about how free trade can improve the region’s economy.
Activity: “The Congo We Want!” – Student Conference
Date: January, 2023
Location: Catholic University, Goma, DRC
Overview: CDE DRC held a fantastic event with over 200 students at a university in Goma. In this picture, Espoir Bindu, the Executive Director for CDE DRC, tells the students about his organization’s new report on trade liberalisation in the DRC.
Activity: Anisa FM Radio Show, South Sudan
Date: November, 2022
Location: Yambio, South Sudan
Overview: Members of Students’ Organization for Liberty and Entrepreneurship (SOLE) made there way over to the Anisa FM radio station to talk about free trade and globalisation. They are doing a fantastic job spreading economic freedom in South Sudan!
Activity: Book Launch at Kampala International University
Date: November, 2022
Location: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Overview: Liberty Sparks put on a fantastic event with university students in Tanzania. Over 150 students at Kampala International University received Eamon Butler’s book, Trade and Globalisation, and discussed the importance of the AfCFTA for Africa’s economic growth.
Activity: Global Scientific Conference on Human Flourishing
Date: November, 2022
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Overview: The IATP’s Director, Alexander Hammond (second from top left), traveled to Nairobi to participate in the first annual Global Scientific Conference on Human Flourishing. He met with numerous IATP partners from Burundi, Uganda, Nigeria, South Sudan, Tanzania, Kenya, and the DRC. Throughout the conference, Alexander met with our partner think tanks to strategize about future collaborations and enjoyed presentations about how to best advance human flourishing across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Activity: Book Launch – Liberty Sparks
Date: October, 2022
Location: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Overview: Liberty Sparks held a fantastic event in which they brought together 35 secondary school teachers, non-profit leaders, and university lecturers to learn about trade, globalisation, and the AfCFTA.
Activity: Canada-Africa Chamber of Business’ 28th Annual Conference
Date: October, 2022
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
Overview: At this prestigious event, The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business publicly declared its support for the work of the IATP and its partner organizations. Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, and South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, opened the conference and the head of the AfCFTA, Wamkele Mene, was also in attendance. The IATP is thrilled to be able to advocate for pro-liberty causes going forward.
Activity: Centre for Development and Enterprises, Great Lakes – Student Conference
Date: October, 2022
Location: Tanganyika Lake University, Bujumbura, Burundi
Overview: CDE Great Lakes brought together over 200 students and professors to discuss Trade & Globalisation. In addition, they spoke about the economic challenges Burundi is facing.
Activity: Centre for Development and Enterprises, DRC – Rwanda/DRC Cross Border Workshop
Date: October, 2022
Location: Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo
Overview: CDE DRC recently held a cross-border workshop with traders from Rwanda and the DRC. Trade barriers have shackled growth in this region, so the IATP is proud that our partner is working to improve relations between traders on both sides.
Activity: Centre for Development and Enterprises, DRC – Media Campaign
Date: October, 2022
Location: Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
Overview: The IATP was proud to support the “Congo We Want” media campaign, held by CDE DRC. Over 20 journalists gathered to receive a copy of Eamonn Butler’s Trade & Globalisation. CDE DRC’s work has been mentioned on dozens of media outlets in the region.
Activity: Institute for Economics and Enterprises – University of Ngozi
Date: October, 2022
Location: University of Ngozi, Burundi
Overview: The IATP was proud to support the “Let me Try” campaign at the University of Ngozi. Over 60 students, local media professionals, and business owners gathered to receive a copy of Eamonn Butler’s Trade & Globalisation.
Activity: Global Capitalism Awareness Day – Liberty International
Date: October, 2022
Location: Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Overview: Hundreds of students gathered at Rivers State University to discuss capitalism, free trade, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The event was hosted with the help of numerous partners.
Activity: Radio Show Appearance – SOLE
Date: October, 2022
Location: Yambio, South Sudan
Overview: SOLE recently went on Anisa radio to discuss Eamonn Butler’s Trade & Globalsation. On the show, they talked about the benefits of free trade to an audience of hundreds of thousands of listeners.
Activity: Freedom in Nigeria Conference – Ominira Initiative
Date: September, 2022
Location: Ibadan, Nigeria
Overview: Ominira Initiative successfully held this day-long event. They held numerous panels focused on market-friendly policies. Over 100 attendees learned about the benefits of economic freedom and open societies.
Activity: Trade and Economic Freedom Seminar – SOLE
Date: September, 2022
Location: Juba, South Sudan
Overview: SOLE brought together 133 students at Juba University in order to understand how trade and economic freedom relate to development in south Sudan. Students received 2 books for attending.
Activity: Uganda – Sudan Embassy Meeting – ALED
Date: September, 2022
Location: Entebbe, Uganda
Overview: Leaders from Action for Liberty and Economic Development met with officials at the Embassy of the Republic of Sudan to discuss the need for freer trade in the East Africa region and what a trade-friendly framework between Africans governments would look like.
Activity: Young Scholar’s Colloquium – Liberty Sparks
Date: September, 2022
Location: Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
Overview: Liberty Sparks held an event where 25 young scholars from 7 Sub-Saharan African nations gathered to discuss the AfCFTA and Eamonn Butler’s Trade and Globalisation.
Activity: Free Market Symposium – SOLE
Date: July, 2022
Location: Yambio, South Sudan
Overview: The Students Organization for Liberty and Entrepreneurship brought together 513 students, civil society leaders, and entrepreneurs to learn about economic freedom. Eamonn Butler’s Introduction to Trade and Globalisation was also distributed to participants.
Activity: Uhuru Conference: “Educate and Empower” – Liberty Sparks
Date: June, 2022
Location: Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
Overview: Over 600 students gathered in person and virtually to attend a conference focused on cross-border trade, globalisation, the AfCFTA, and how Africa can become more free and prosperous.
Activity: Liberty Sparks Book Distribution
Date: April, 2022
Location: Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
Overview: The IATP was delighted to support the printing of 900 copies of Eamonn Butler’s ‘An Introduction to Trade and Globalisation’ as well as the book’s translation into Swahili, for Liberty Sparks. In this photo, Evans Exuad, the Founder and Director of Liberty Sparks, poses with Jack Confrey, the Head of Foundations and Trusts at the IEA, with a copy of the newly printed book.
Activity: ALED Book Distribution
Date: March, 2022
Location: Entebbe, Uganda
Overview: Through collaborating with the IATP, 1100 copies of Eamonn Butler’s ‘An Introduction to Trade and Globalisation’ were printed and distributed by Action for Liberty and Economic Development to students across Uganda.
Activity: SOLE Book Distribution
Date: March, 2022
Location: Western Equatoria State, South Sudan
Overview: 500 copies of Eamonn Butler’s ‘An Introduction to Trade and Globalisation’ were sent to our partners, the Students Organization for Liberty and Entrepreneurship, to distribute at their events, give to students, and donate to university libraries across the region.
