We are excited to announce that the Social Science Research Council (SSRC) is officially launching the African Peacebuilding and Developmental Dynamics (APDD) Program—the newly rebranded initiative that brings together the strengths and legacies of the African Peacebuilding Network (APN) and Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa (Next Gen) programs.

This rebrand marks an exciting new chapter in our collective work. APDD builds on over a decade of advancing African-led research on peacebuilding, governance, and development, while expanding the program’s reach and visibility. 

“The launch of APDD marks an exciting milestone for our program,” said APDD Program Director Cyril Obi. “APDD innovatively builds on APN and Next Gen’s vision of producing high-quality and globally visible African-led knowledge, in a rebranded initiative that renews our strong commitment to African scholarship, transforming perspectives, and bridging research and policy engagements to advance peacebuilding and shape the developmental dynamics across the continent.”

APDD reflects both continuity and evolution. We remain committed to African peacebuilding research, networking, and scholar support, while expanding to address emerging challenges—such as rapid technological changes and innovations, environmental change, political transitions, migration, and the complex dimensions of resource extraction, and their impact on conflict, peace, and security in Africa. As part of our renewed commitment to bridging research to policy, we are proud to introduce the African Peacebuilding Policy Review and Analysis to replace the Policy Briefing Notes. We invite you to explore the refreshed visual identity and learn more about the APDD’s mission.

APDD will continue to support independent African research on conflict-affected countries and neighboring regions, integrate African knowledge into global policy communities, and strengthen tertiary education by investing in the next generation of researchers. APDD also will continue to offer fellowships for independent peacebuilding research and a full sequence of fellowship opportunities for PhD students to complete their doctoral degrees. 

The SSRC is grateful to the Carnegie Corporation of New York (CCNY) for its continuous support, enabling our program to foster a vibrant and inclusive community of emerging and established scholars throughout Africa.