About us

The Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), established in 2000, is part of the global network of autonomous Soros Foundations. OSIWA works to build vibrant, open democracies in 18 countries, including the 15 members of the Economic Community of West African States—Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo—as well as Cameroon, Chad, and Mauritania. OSIWA supports civil society organizations and advocates to governments on issues of governance; law, justice and human rights; public health and development; information, communication technology, and media