Idasa is a non-profit independent public interest organisation. The organisation was established as an active anti-apartheid organisation in 1987. Today, the overall goal of Idasa’s work is building democratic societies in Africa by focus on training, capacity building and research on democracy and democratic development. Their work is carried out in cooperation with a number of local and regional partners and implementing bodies, benefiting from the local knowledge and networks of these partners.
Norway has been cooperating with Idasa for many years, both directly from The Foreign Ministry in Oslo and through the Embassy. Idasa has been instrumental on influencing Norwegian policy during apartheid years and during the democratization process in South Africa.
The current work of Idasa is highly relevant for Norway’s focus on human rights and human security, and is seen as central in developing the Norwegian Embassy in Pretoria’s work on democracy in South Africa and the region, creating synergies with other programmes funded by the Embassy.