Overview

Name: Southern African Institute for Policy and Research (SAIPAR)

Location: Lusaka, Zambia

Legal Status: Independent, educational and development-oriented research centre; registered under the laws of Zambia since 2006

Founded: 2006

Mission, Objectives & Guiding Principles

Mission / Purpose:
To contribute to improved policy-making, governance, research capacity, and development in Zambia and the broader Southern Africa region through interdisciplinary research, publications, dialogue, and acting as a repository of ideas.

Key Objectives:

Analyse governance and development issues.

Promote democracy, human rights, good governance.

Build capacity for research and facilitate scholarly exchange.

Publish research outputs (books, monographs, papers) and act as a documentation centre.

Guiding Principles:

Transparency, ethics, accountability.

Human dignity, equal rights, non-discrimination.

Structure & Divisions

SAIPAR is organised into thematic research divisions:

Legal Division

Economics Division

Social & Political Change Division

They also produce various publication types: occasional papers, discussion papers, policy briefs, journals (such as Zambia Social Science Journal and Southern African Journal of Policy and Development), and case reviews.

Activities & Projects

SAIPAR undertakes several kinds of work:

Research Projects: Covering governance, law, economics, development policy, and natural resources. Examples include studies on extractive industries, financialisation of Zambia’s copper sector, and development policy analysis of the Zambian economy.

Publications & Knowledge Products: Policy briefs, journals, occasional/discussion papers, and monographs.

Dialogue & Seminars: Organises seminars, policy dialogues, and academic exchanges to connect researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.

Capacity Building: Offers training and internship opportunities, including international collaborations with universities, to support the next generation of scholars and researchers.

Impact & Partnerships

Influence: SAIPAR is recognised as one of Zambia’s leading independent think tanks, contributing research and analysis to inform public policy and governance.

Partnerships: Works with academic institutions, development partners, and international research projects across Southern Africa.

Strengths & Challenges

Strengths:

Broad thematic scope, combining law, economics, and governance research.

Established record of publications and policy engagement.

Strong emphasis on nurturing research capacity through internships and training.

Independent status allows critical engagement with governance and policy issues.

Challenges:

Reliance on project funding, which can affect sustainability and autonomy.

Translating research into concrete policy influence remains a complex task.

Navigating resource constraints while maintaining academic rigor and broad impact.