Julius Nyerere Think Tank

MOTTO:

“Fides et Ratio” is the motto of the JNTT. It invites all to understand the importance of promoting rigorous thinking enlightened by the Gospel and intelligible to all people.

About Us

The Julius Nyerere Think Tank (JNTT) was established under the auspices of the St. John Paul II Catholic Chaplaincy to the African Union (AU) as a laboratory of ideas. It aims to promote integral human development, cultural values, and policy solutions that advance the African Union’s objectives, particularly Agenda 2063: “The Africa We Want.”

Rooted in the principles of Catholic Social Teaching, the JNTT seeks to uphold the dignity of the human person, promote the common good, advocate for solidarity and subsidiarity, and prioritize the needs of the poor and marginalized. These values inform its work as it strives to advise the AU on critical issues affecting Africa and contribute to shaping policies that build a just, equitable, and sustainable society.

Named after Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, the think tank draws inspiration from his legacy as a leader, intellectual, a believer, and advocate for African liberation and unity. JNTT embodies his principles of justice, peace, and integral development in its mission to advise the AU on policies and actions that align with both authentic African values and the Church’s teachings on social justice.

CORE VALUES

Justice and Equality
Peace and Reconciliation
Compassion and Solidarity
Empowerment of the Marginalized

Our Mission

The JNTT’s mission is to produce actionable ideas and foster meaningful dialogue that supports the African Union’s efforts to achieve peace, security, unity, and sustainable development across the continent.

Our Vision

To be a leading think tank providing innovative, high-impact policy recommendations to the African Union, aligned with the aspirations of Agenda 2063.

Values

Justice, peace, truth and the preferential option for the poor are the four values that guide the work of JNTT.

Areas of Interest

The areas of interest of the JNTT are:

Youth and Gender Empowerment
Peace and Security
Environmental Protection Climate Change
Culture Heritage and Pan-African Identity
Education

Strategic Goals

Policy Innovation: Develop and advocate transformative policies that address Africa’s political, economic, and social challenges.
Capacity Building: Strengthen the AU’s decision-making processes through rigorous research and strategic advice.
Knowledge Dissemination: Serve as a hub for intellectual exchange through publications, conferences, and dialogues.
Stakeholder Engagement: Foster collaboration between the AU, civil society, faith-based organizations, and African communities.

Structure

In order to function effectively and thus fulfil its mission, the JNTT is structured on two levels. It has a Coordinating Committee and Working Groups.

Activities

JNTT undertakes the following activities in accordance with its mission and values:

Conducting high quality studies and research;
Promoting dialogue among relevant African Union stakeholders;
Facilitating public debate through seminars, workshops and round tables;
Advocating and proposing solutions and actions of all kinds;
And to disseminating new ideas and best practices.

JNTT organizes periodic public conferences and workshops bringing together a limited number of experts on selected topics.

Operation

The Coordinating Committee is composed of a General Coordinator, who represents the Committee and coordinates its activities, a Permanent Secretary and two members. The Permanent Secretary assists and provides technical support to the General Coordinator and facilitates relations between the JNTT structures and the Board of Directors. The two members are appointed by the Board of Directors.

The JNTT’s organizational structure includes:

Coordination Committee: Oversees day-to-day operations and strategic implementation.
Working Groups: Specialized teams focusing on key thematic areas such as culture, peace and security, migration, and development.

To achieve its goals, the JNTT undertakes the following:

Policy Research: Producing evidence-based policy briefs, white papers, and reports tailored for AU institutions.
Workshops and Seminars: Organizing forums for dialogue among AU leaders, civil society, and other stakeholders.
Advisory Services: Providing technical advice and consultations to AU departments.
Advocacy: Lobbying for the inclusion of community-driven solutions in AU decision-making processes.
Networking: Creating synergies with regional think tanks, universities, and global partners.

WHY MWALIMU JULIUS NYERERE

Julius Nyerere (1922-1999) was a great man in many ways. The Tanzanian leader’s life and achievements can still be an inspiration to many today. The single most important fact is that he was both coherent and consistent in what he believed in. He walked the talk, as the saying goes. His intellectual rigour enabled him to write volumes about his political thinking and philosophy while in office. He is said to have been the author of his speeches. He was an eloquent public speaker, fluent in both English and Swahili. Apart from politics, he translated literary works such as The Merchants of Venice into Swahili.

Mwalimu Julius Nyerere voluntarily retired from the presidency of Tanzania and became a farmer in his village. Amazingly, a man of his stature found time to teach catechism in his local parish. He is a true role model for religious and spiritual leaders, statesmen, diplomats and intellectuals in Africa. He can be seen as a president, statesman , pan-Africanist, intellectual, writer and champion of African liberation.A former teacher (hence the title Mwalimu), Nyerere was an educator: he could explain sophisticated concepts to ordinary people in very simple language, using stories and examples. Mwalimu was a devout Catholic.

He is now a Servant of God in the process of beatification and canonis

St John Paul II African Union Chaplaincy, 69 Ras Lulseged Street, P.O. Box 9166, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Email: catholic.africanunion@gmail.com. Tel/WhatsApp: +251900485018