Promotion of Evidence-Informed Policymaking in Francophone Africa: eBASE Africa partners with Réseau Francophone International en Conseil Scientifique (RFICS).

The Réseau Francophone International en Conseil Scientifique (RFICS), based at Université Laval in Québec, Canada, and Effective Basic Services Africa (eBASE Africa), based in Bamenda, Cameroon, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) establishing a framework for collaboration to strengthen scientific advisory capacity and promote evidence-informed policymaking across Francophone Africa.

Under this partnership, eBASE Africa is officially designated as the “RFICS Africa Hub” (Antenne du RFICS en Afrique). This role empowers eBASE Africa to represent RFICS in Africa, coordinate its activities on the continent, and facilitate collaboration between local and regional actors involved in science advice and evidence use.

Duties and Responsibilities

RFICS (through Université Laval) will:

• Integrate eBASE Africa into the international RFICS network and facilitate its participation in global initiatives.
• Collaborate on joint research and publications focusing on tools and methods for evidence synthesis.
• Co-organize training sessions, webinars, and events to promote the integration of scientific evidence into policymaking.
• Support eBASE Africa in fundraising and grant-seeking efforts to sustain joint initiatives.

eBASE Africa will:

• Represent RFICS officially in Francophone Africa, acting as its continental hub.
  Promote RFICS’s activities and visibility across Africa.
• Collaborate on research and knowledge-sharing projects, including the creation and dissemination of a “barometer of evidence use” to inform Francophone policymakers.
• Participate in RFICS-organized workshops and capacity-building programs.
• Identify region-specific challenges to using scientific evidence in decision-making and propose context-appropriate solutions.
   

Why this partnership is important:

At a time when there is so much call for evidence to be used in policy-making, this partnership is important for a number of reasons.

• Strengthening evidence-informed policymaking in Francophone Africa. The partnership connects RFICS’s global expertise in science advice with eBASE Africa’s on-the-ground experience in applying research to improve health, education, and other basic services.
• Building local capacity for science advice and collaboration. As the RFICS Africa Hub, eBASE Africa will train and support African policymakers, researchers, and practitioners to use scientific evidence more effectively in decision-making.
• Fostering global and regional knowledge exchange. The partnership promotes South–North and South–South collaboration, ensuring Africa’s perspectives influence global science advice while benefiting from international best practices.