Thabo Mbeki South African Leadership Institute

South Africa launches a new institute to promote African leadership and highlight work done by great African thinkers and personalities.

"The Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute (TMALI) was launched in early October. It is a public service and non-profit African institution dedicated to developing new African leaders for Africa’s renewal. TMALI is a partnership between the University of South Africa (UNISA) and the Thabo Mbeki Foundation. Its key products and services include: promoting and commissioning high quality research on topics related to African Renaissance; contributing to policy formulation and transformation through publications, seminars and conferences; and establishing a specialized library and museum housing works by outstanding African scholars and personalities."

Implications from Institute for the Future:

Add this to the increasing body of work being done within Africa to highlight great work done by Africans. After generations and generations of a negative image in the global media Africa is taking steps to readjust how they are seen.

Dambisa Moyo, an economist and author of Dead Aid, has spoken about the effects of Africa repeatedly hearing they aren't doing the right thing from the global north and international institutions like the IMF. Likening it to what happens when a young child is always being told they are stupid and worthless, she explains how many Africans are stuck with a negative self image and begin to think they aren't capable of making a difference. Institutes like TMALI are perhaps the beginning of a shifting tide.