| Address |
ACORD, Development House,, 56-64 Leonard Street, London, EC2A 4JX,, United Kingdom, London |
| Stated Role |
ACORD (Agency for Cooperation and Research in Development) is an Africa-led international alliance working to promote social justice. ACORD is running field operations in 17 countries in Africa, as well as Pan African and international advocacy work. ACORD's response to the challenges of Africa is firmly based on a belief that people themselves are the agents of change and actors of their own development. People's ability to take action on the causes of poverty is what will transform Africa's future. ACORD believes those people suffering under poverty, economic, social and political inequality are best placed to explore the root causes of injustice, identify strategies for solutions, and act upon them to bring about positive changes at national, regional, Pan African and international levels. <P> |
| Notes |
History of ACORD
The Agency for Cooperation and Research in Development (ACORD) was established in 1976 as a consortium of international non-governmental organisations (NGOs), with the purpose of collectively responding to emergency situations in some of Africa's poorest, most crisis prone and marginalised areas. Over the years, the work developed further into relief, rehabilitation, long-term programming research and capacity building.
Informed by the analysis of its work over the three decades, the changing paradigm of development, the process of globalisation and the changing landscape of institutions and civil society in Africa, ACORD went through a transformation process with major implications on its organisational vision and role, programming framework and intervention strategy. The change was geared at strengthening the African ownership and positioning the organisation for sustainable Africa wide impact towards social justice.
During the period 2002-2006, ACORD made significant strides, transforming itself from a Northern consortium into an Africa-Led International Alliance working in common cause with people who are poor and have been denied their rights to understand, challenge and change the conditions that cause poverty and exclusion. 45 projects primarily addressing consequences of poverty evolved into 12 decentralised country and regional programmes focused around the four thematic leads of livelihoods, conflict, HIV/AIDS and gender, and aiming to address root causes of poverty through a combination of practical work, research and advocacy. The secretariat was relocated from London to Nairobi and a primarily African management team was recruited. In June 2005, ACORD signed a head quarters agreement with the Government of the Republic of Kenya and in November 2005, three African individuals joined ACORD's Board of Directors.
ACORD is present across the continent, collaborating with a vast network of community based organisations, in Southern Africa: Angola and Mozambique; Eastern and Horn of Africa: Ethiopia, Eritrea (being phased out), Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya; Central Africa: DRC, Rwanda and Burundi; and Western Africa: Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso and Guinea (Sahel I) and Chad, Cameroon and Nigeria (Sahel II). ACORD has a well established HIV/AIDS Prevention and Support Programme (HASAP), providing capacity building services to internal and external stakeholders and emerging thematic programmes in conflict and gender. In 2006, ACORD launched a Pan Africa programme on food sovereignty.
ACORD has maintained its charity registration and a liaison office in the United Kingdom and its legal status as stated in the Memorandum and Articles of Association. The founding Northern NGOs remain members and primary donors of ACORD.
[ http://www.acordinternational.org/index.php/about/History_of_ACORD - Retrieved on 08-09-07 ] |