Reading Africa from within.
A Saudi initiative towards African countries. Each station is built around the country’s own context and priorities, bringing together economy and investment, media and knowledge from the field, and humanitarian and development tracks activated where there is real need.
About the project
DEEP AFRICA starts from understanding the country: its people and culture, its economy and transformations, and its priorities as its own people express them. From that understanding, it builds field work that brings economic and investment engagement together with media and knowledge, and opens room to study humanitarian and development needs where a real need emerges.
The initiative works through independent stations, each with its own preparation and programme. Business participants meet the relevant parties, media professionals reach voices and subjects in the field, and follow-up continues after the return. What the initiative seeks is more precise knowledge, connections that can develop, and steps that can be followed through.
Discover the projectVision and mission
For DEEP AFRICA to be a trusted Saudi framework for getting to know African countries from within, and for engaging with them economically, intellectually and on a human level — building professional and institutional ties that last beyond each station.
To organise field work that starts from each country’s context and priorities, and brings economic and investment engagement together with independent media and knowledge production — giving participants deeper understanding, relevant meetings, documented content and clear follow-up paths, while studying opportunities for humanitarian and development contribution according to need and with the competent bodies.
Programmes and tracks
The programmes complement one another differently at each station. Their scope is set by the country’s context, the programme’s readiness, participants’ interests, and what can be carried out and followed up.
- 01
Economy and investment
Work begins by identifying the interests of companies and investors and understanding the market and relevant sectors. Contact points and suitable meetings are then built within each station’s confirmed programme, helping participants gain field information and assess what merits a next step.
More on this track - 02
Media and knowledge from the field
This track listens to people and communities, and reads culture and identity, economy and development, and the country’s transformations and future. It gives media organisations and producers access to the field and the means to develop work built on research, interviews and documentation.
More on this track - 03
Humanitarian and development
Humanitarian and development needs are read from within the country’s context, by listening to the community and the relevant bodies. This track focuses on understanding and documenting need, and on studying the possibility of contribution or cooperation with competent bodies where a real need exists.
More on this track
How we work
Each station follows a working cycle that begins before arrival and continues after the return. This sequence links research to implementation, engagement to follow-up, and experience to learning.
01Preparing the country
Research into the context, sectors and media themes; identifying participants’ interests; coordinating the programme and meetings.
02Carrying out the station
Working to the confirmed programme; holding meetings and visits; listening to people; gathering and documenting field material.
03Return
Organising the knowledge and content gathered; documenting the meetings and topics that need further action.
04Follow-up
Identifying the parties concerned and the next step for each path that can continue; referring details to the specialists.
05Evaluation
Reviewing what was achieved and what remains open, the quality of knowledge and engagement, and what can be improved.
06Preparing the next station
Drawing on the evaluation, and building an independent programme suited to the next country and its context.
The value we work for
For companies and investors
Field understanding and organised engagement that help assess the right paths.
For media organisations
Access to voices and subjects while preserving independent editorial decisions.
For the host country
Room to present its context and priorities, and to build engagement with relevant Saudi parties.
The project’s stations
27 countries in scope · 01 Burundi · 02 Djibouti
DEEP AFRICA’s scope covers 27 African countries. Each country is an independent station built around its own context and priorities; the programme, sectors and topics differ from one country to another, while the approach to preparation, documentation and follow-up remains clear.
The map and the list of stations let you explore the countries covered, read their files and follow their status. Burundi is the first station and Djibouti the second. The other countries are shown by name and flag, without an announced order until it is approved.
Explore the stationsFirst station
01Burundi
The first station begins in Burundi, with a programme built on the country’s context and priorities that brings economic engagement together with media and knowledge work from the field. The country file and mission content will be presented progressively, as they are approved and documented.
- Status
- Mission in preparation
- Capital
- Gitega (political) · Bujumbura (economic)
Relationships begin with understanding.
Reading Africa from within.