African Government Information
| Collections Overview | Online Databases | Regional Organizations | Non-Governmental Organizations | National Governments |
Collections Overview
The library collects and maintains a alarge collection of documents from African governments and regional and non-governmental organizations. Collection strengths include development plans, censuses, central bank reports, and statistical compendia. Although material is collected from all countries, particular collection strengths in Africa include Botswana, Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zambia. For information on microforms sets, see the Government Information Research Guide: U.S. Microform Collections Relating to Subsaharan Africa.
Online Databases
Access UNDP (UCB Only). Indexes United Nations Development Programme's Project Reports from 1972-1998. Full text of the publications are available in the "United Nations Development Programme Project Reports" microfiche collection (Microfiche 24773) in the Government Reference Room in Doe Library.
African Index (UCB Only). Multi-disciplinary resource on Africa combines seventeen databases, including African Studies Abstracts. Topics covered include politics, economics, development, social issues, law, tourism and more.
Index to African Official Government Publications. Bibliography focusing on materials deposited by government offices and ministries of the ECA member states, as well as African intergovernmental and non-governmental institutions.
Geography (UCB Only). Database with abstracts in international development, agriculture, economics, demography, the environment, urbanization, housing, health, education, and politics.
South African Studies (UCB Only). Anthology of nine databases, from 1987 to present. Provides access to most documents published in and about South Africa, including including theses, dissertations and current research.
UNIDO Industrial Development Abstracts. Information on the activities of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to assist with industrialization in developing countries. Full-text from 1999 onwards.
Regional Organizations
The following is a selected list of some of the more important International Organizations dealing with Sub-Saharan Africa. For a complete listing see the Africa section of the Union of International Associations.
African Development Bank. Premier financial development institution of Africa, dedicated to combating poverty and improving the lives of people of the continent. Includes full-text publications and project reports.
African National Congress. Oldest black political organization in South Africa; prominent in its opposition to apartheid. Site includes the full-text of books, discussion documents, policy papers, and more in its index section.
African Union. Premier institution and principal organization for the promotion of accelerated socio-economic integration of the African continent.
Common Market for Eastern Southern Africa (COMESA). Grouping of 21 African states, which have agreed to promote regional integration through trade & development.
Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS). Organization to promote regional economic co-operation in Central Africa. In French.
Economic Community of West African States. Regional group of fifteen African countries charged with promoting integration in all fields of economic activity.
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): Africa. Links to ICRC country offices in Africa. Each site typically contains background information for each programme, and reports of recent activities.
Southern African Development Community (SADC). Group of South African states working to achieve economic development, alleviate poverty, enhance the quality of life of the peoples of Southern Africa.
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. Regional arm of the United Nations, mandated to support the economic and social development of its 53 member States.
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO's)
The following are some selected resources. See also the Union of International Organizations for a searchable comprehensive directory.
Africa South of the Sahara. One of the most comprehensive web portals for Sub-saharan Africa. Fully searchable and browseable by topic (e.g. environment, human rights) and by country/region
African NGO's. Excellent NGO research guide, listed by country with subject categories and IGO affiliations. Also contains NGO statistical data sources. From the documents and maps department, Duke University Libraries.
The Global Compact UN compact with businesses worldwide to address principles in the fields of human rights, labour, the environment and corruption.
Global Issues - UN System Partnerships. Directory of UN partnerships with civil society, by broad topic.
NGOs with Consultative Status with the UN Economic & Social Council. Includes a good NGO search engine, reports, and other links.
United Nations and Civil Society. Gateway site to various elements of the UN involved in partnerships with civil society: business, the media, and NGOs.
United Nations Fund for International Partnerships. UN liaison office for the United Nations Foundation - "the UN and the private sector working together."
United Nations/NGO Liaison Service. Small office promoting partnerships between the United Nations and non-governmental organizations.
World Directory of Development Organizations. Huge database of NGO's., searchable by project and organization, and browseable by organization, nationality, and country and field of activity.
National Governments
The following are selected directories of African government gateway sites. Many of these are useful for locating important ministries and offices that might be difficult to find by browsing the main government homepage.
African Governments on the Internet. From the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). Country directory with links to pages for the main government, important ministries, the media, and other agencies.
African Governments on the World Wide Web. Links to national institutions, representations in foreign countries, political information, and more.
Foreign Governments. Contains extensive links for each country, including parliaments, ministries, cabinets, and central banks. From Northwestern University.
Foreign Governments/Africa. Informative site with annotations for each country. Includes links to other regions, as well as information on laws and treaties and statistics. From the University of Michigan Documents Center.