Evidence for Sustainable Human Development Systems in Africa (Cameroon)

EVIHDAF — Evidence for Sustainable Human Development Systems in Africa — is an Africa-led research and development institution created in 2017 and headquartered in Yaoundé, Cameroon. It describes itself as serving the West and Central Africa region while leveraging partnerships in other regions of Africa, with the aim of strengthening the evidence base for sustainable human development. Beyond its Yaoundé headquarters, it operates a project office in Niamey, Niger, and a Data Satellite Unit in Parakou, Benin. The organization positions itself as a research, monitoring, evaluation and learning (RMEL) partner and a regional hub for evidence-based decision-making. Its stated mission is to strengthen the evidence base and support African countries to generate and apply evidence for transformative human development solutions, while its vision is that African countries and institutions shape human development through evidence-driven systems. Its service lines include program implementation and scale-up; data systems for decision-making; research, monitoring, evaluation and learning; and capacity strengthening, regional hub, centralization and coordination work. EVIHDAF's focus areas span nutrition and food security; health and health systems; population, migration and displacement; climate change preparedness and resilience; and education. Its work is organized into ongoing and completed project portfolios, and it publishes news and events, including a strategic framework agreement signed with Cameroon's Ministry of Public Health in 2025 and work on advancing immunization equity. The organization is led by Executive Director Jean Christophe Fotso, PhD, who is listed as based in the USA and Cameroon. Its Board of Directors is chaired by Yazoume Ye, PhD, with Susan Krenn as Deputy Chair, and its leadership and teams also include a Scientific Advisory Committee, a Global Health Security team, and staff across Cameroon, Benin and the United States. Its stated principles include thinking global and acting local; commitment to equity, justice and social inclusion; empowering women and girls and communities; leveraging local expertise and technical leadership; leveraging the potential of digital innovation and AI; and promoting human rights and person-centered approaches. Its stated values are excellence, accountability, integrity, teamwork, objectivity and responsiveness. As a private, Africa-led institution rather than a listed company, EVIHDAF operates through partnerships with governments, ministries, universities and global health organizations. Its public presence centers on its website, where it presents its services, focus areas, projects, team and news, and invites collaboration to build strong partnerships for sustainable impact.

EVIHDAF — Evidence for Sustainable Human Development Systems in Africa — was created in 2017 and established its headquarters in Yaoundé, Cameroon. From its founding, it has described itself as an Africa-led research and development institution serving the West and Central Africa region, while leveraging partnerships in other regions of Africa, with the aim of strengthening the evidence base for sustainable human development. As it grew, the organization extended its physical footprint beyond Cameroon. It established a project office in Niamey, Niger, and a Data Satellite Unit in Parakou, Benin, reflecting a model of regional presence combined with centralized coordination. Its leadership and staff are distributed across Cameroon, Benin and the United States, and its governance includes a Board of Directors, a Scientific Advisory Committee and a Global Health Security team. EVIHDAF's work has developed around several service lines: program implementation and scale-up; data systems for decision-making; research, monitoring, evaluation and learning (RMEL); and capacity strengthening, regional hub, centralization and coordination. Its focus areas include nutrition and food security; health and health systems; population, migration and displacement; climate change preparedness and resilience; and education. The organization organizes its work into ongoing and completed project portfolios and publishes news and events on its website. A notable recent development is the signing of a strategic framework agreement with Cameroon's Ministry of Public Health, announced on the organization's website in July 2025, which the organization framed as consolidating its existing partnership with the ministry. EVIHDAF has also publicized work on advancing immunization equity. Its stated mission is to strengthen the evidence base and support African countries to generate and apply evidence for transformative human development solutions, and its vision is that African countries and institutions shape human development through evidence-driven systems.

• 2025

  EVIHDAF and Cameroon's Ministry of Public Health sign a strategic framework agreement.

• 2017

  EVIHDAF is created and headquartered in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

• EVIHDAF establishes a project office in Niamey, Niger.

• EVIHDAF establishes a Data Satellite Unit in Parakou, Benin.

Africa-led research and development institution strengthening evidence-based decision-making in Africa, serving West and Central Africa through partnerships.

• Program Implementation and Scale-Up

• Data Systems for Decision-Making

• Research, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (RMEL)

• Capacity Strengthening

• Regional Hub / Centralization / Coordination

1. 1EVIHDAF – Evidence for Sustainable Human Development Systems in Africa – Strengthening evidence-based decision-making in Africaevihdaf.com
2. 2Who We Are – EVIHDAF – Evidence for Sustainable Human Development Systems in Africaevihdaf.com
3. 3Our Team – EVIHDAF – Evidence for Sustainable Human Development Systems in Africaevihdaf.com
4. 4Our services – EVIHDAF – Evidence for Sustainable Human Development Systems in Africaevihdaf.com
5. 5Evidence for Sustainable Human Development Systems in Africa (Cameroon)wikidata.org