Founder of the Public Policy Institute for West Africa, previously deputy regional director of Open Society–Africa & country economist at UNDP Senegal

Dr. Aidara recently in August 2024, set up a new Think Tank on Public Policy Institute for West Africa, based in Dakar Senegal. 

Prior to that, Ibrahima Aidara was the Open Society-Africa Deputy Executive Director between August 2022 to August 2024. Before that, Mr Aidara was (November 2021- August 2022) Executive Director at Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA).  Between April 2019 – July 2021, he was OSIWA’s Acting ED.  

Mr. AIDARA managed the OSIWA Economic Governance and Advancement Program (EGAP) between 2013 and 2019. The program includes five main components: public/natural resource governance, anti-corruption, Tax-Fiscal reform for Financing for Development, and Access to public services with a focus on education, health, and Food Security in the context of climate change.

Prior to joining OSIWA, Mr. AIDARA had been working as the country Economist at UNDP Senegal since October 2010 where he was responsible for research, development, and application of the principles and theories of economics to the formulation of strategies and plans for solution of economic problems, especially as they relate to the Millennium Development Goals. 

Prior to joining UNDP Senegal, Mr. AIDARA was the Regional Extractive Industries Program Coordinator with the West Africa Regional Office of Oxfam America from 2006 to 2010 and led the Oxfam International West Africa Team on Governance and Extractive Industries. 

Between 2002-2006ca, Ibrahima AIDARA was the Economic and Trade Policy Officer at Consumers International Regional Office for Africa based in Harare, Zimbabwe. 

Between 1991 – 2002, he held various positions in the public sector in Senegal including in the Ministries of Social Development and Economic and Finance.

Mr. AIDARA wrote several articles on trade, taxation, development, and economic governance-related issues. He has recently published on the OSIWA website and coordinated several research: in 2019: “Understanding and fixing West Africa’s Broken Health Systems”, Policy Paper, OSIWA Dakar Senegal. In 2018: “Does the current fiscal performance lead to structural economic transformation in West Africa?” Discussion paper, OSIWA Dakar Senegal. In 2016: “Transparency and efficiency of public spending in West Africa: Evidence and Alternatives”, Working Paper, OSIWA, Dakar Senegal. In 2015: Coordinated amongst other research published with OSIWA: (i) Domestic Resource Mobilization in West Africa:  missed opportunities, (review of transfer pricing policies and tax incentives); (ii) Critical analysis of ECOWAS policies in agriculture and industrial sectors; (iii) Converting natural resources into development: from transparency to more efficient natural resources management. In 2014: “Is West Africa making progress in the fight against corruption?” OSIWA Dakar Senegal. In 2013 – 2014: Several articles published with OSIWA (i) Does citizens’ engagement in the extractive industries sector lead necessarily to more transparency and accountability and positive policy and practice change? (ii) Is West Africa making progress in the fight against corruption? (iii) Fighting inequality and injustice to transform West Africa (iv) Is Niger experiencing a new era of ‘virtuous governance’ in the management of its mineral resources? (v) What the Common External Tariff means for West African citizens?

He conducted several capacity-building activities on issues related to extractive industries, trade negotiation and economics processes, and policy dialogue between different stakeholders.

Ibrahima AIDARA holds a PhD in Economics and an MA degree in Economics from the University Cheikh Anta Diop Dakar Senegal.