Afrobarometer, a pan-African, nonpartisan survey research network that amplifies citizens’ voices, is set to launch its 10th round of national surveys with a planning meeting featuring a high-powered guest list including former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as well as national partners from 40 African countries.

Johnson Sirleaf, a member of Afrobarometer’s International Advisory Council, will join former Swedish Foreign Affairs Minister Margot Wallström, Peter Kellner, Riva Levinson, Frank Mwiti, and Afrobarometer board members. The five-day gathering starting 15 May in Ada, Ghana, will be geared towards designing Afrobarometer’s upcoming round 10 survey.

Guided by the vision of a world in which Africa’s development is anchored in the realities and aspirations of its people, Afrobarometer will be a critical milestone in shaping the research agenda for the next round of surveys, which will cover up to 40 African countries.

The planning meeting will involve a series of plenary and working-group sessions to discuss and design survey instruments and methodologies, data quality assurance measures, and results dissemination strategies.

This first network-wide in-person meeting since before the COVID-19 pandemic will also provide an opportunity for Afrobarometer’s core and national partners to share experiences and best practices in conducting survey research and using findings to inform current policy debates.

"Afrobarometer is unwavering in its commitment to promoting and enabling evidence-based policymaking in Africa,” Afrobarometer co-founder and Board Chair E. Gyimah-Boadi said. “The collaborative efforts and insights gathered during this meeting will be instrumental in guiding our future research endeavors."

"We are thrilled to convene such a distinguished group of individuals who share our vision for advancing democracy and good governance in Africa,” said Afrobarometer CEO Joseph Asunka. “The Round 10 planning meeting sets the stage for impactful research that will provide invaluable insights into the aspirations and concerns of African citizens."

The executive director of the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Henry Kwasi Prempeh, also emphasized the importance of the meeting, stating, "We are proud to host this important event and to contribute to the continued success of Afrobarometer's work in advancing democratic governance and development in Africa."