United Nations African Policy Innovation Fellowship

Structure: The fellowship employs a structured, three-phase programme that combines conceptual training, policy design, and applied implementation support. It aims to equip participating policymakers with the analytical and operational capacities to design data-driven, fiscally grounded, and context-responsive policy interventions aligned with national development priorities and institutional mandates. Fellows are expected to complete the programme in its entirety, submitting all required documents for each of the three phases, and failure to do so may result in the termination of the fellowship.

• Phase 1 - Conceptualization:
  
  • Fellows begin the programme with a learning phase that focuses on conceptual clarity, diagnostic analysis, and policy design fundamentals.
  • Fellows refine their project proposals into actionable policy frameworks grounded in national data systems and institutional realities.
  • Interactive sessions will be delivered by UN policy experts, development economists, and data specialists, with an emphasis on using administrative data and national statistics for decision-making.
  • Fellows receive tailored mentorship on aligning their proposals with national planning frameworks and sectoral strategies.
  • The output of this phase will be a conceptual framework document and data inventory to support further research and analysis.

• Phase 2 - Policy Innovation Development:
  
  • Fellows will deepen their understanding of how international norms, financing instruments, and cooperation frameworks interface with domestic policymaking.
  • Fellows are placed within a host UN entity aligned with their proposed policy innovation (linked to one of the UN Secretary-General’s Six Transitions).
  • They participate in intergovernmental and interagency policy dialogues, contributing African perspectives to global conversations while refining their interventions in real time.
  • Fellows receive technical support to strengthen the fiscal and institutional feasibility of their projects, including methodologies for integrating DRM strategies and climate finance or leveraging SDG-aligned budgeting.
  • The output of this phase will be a completed policy paper outlining the policy innovation approach being proposed.

• Phase 3 - Preparation for the programmatic implementation:
  
  • Fellows focus on preparing for the implementation of their project within their national institutions.
  • They will engage with relevant ministries and stakeholders to assess institutional fit, political feasibility, and financing pathways.
  • They will refine implementation plans and conduct preliminary risk and stakeholder analyses.
  • Fellows formally present their policy frameworks to national authorities for feedback and alignment with ongoing national development plans and UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks.
  • The output of this phase will be a completed implementation strategy containing a strong funding component.