Governance is the foundation of all sustainable development. ICE-FRANCE has been working for over twenty years to strengthen the capacities of African public institutions, improve the transparency of decision-making processes, and consolidate the rule of law. Our interventions cover the entire reform cycle: institutional diagnosis, design of legislative frameworks, training of public agents, and evaluation of public policies. We work in close collaboration with governments, parliaments, constitutional courts, and oversight bodies to anchor responsible governance practices over time.
Our approach
Diagnosis and Contextual Analysis
Each intervention begins with a thorough analysis of the institutional, political, and socio-cultural context. We mobilize recognized diagnostic tools (PEFA assessments, public administration value chain analyses, risk mappings) to identify structural blockages and propose reforms adapted to the local reality.
Design of Normative Frameworks
Our lawyers and public policy experts assist in drafting legislative and regulatory texts, revising constitutions, creating independent agencies, and ensuring compliance with international standards (MAEP, OECD Convention, Paris Declaration).
Strengthening Institutional Capacities
Beyond the texts, governance plays out in daily practices. We deploy tailored training programs for public agents, elected officials, and magistrates, prioritizing participatory approaches and peer learning.
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Capitalization
Our teams ensure the long-term monitoring and evaluation of reforms by producing progress reports shared with donors and facilitating the capitalization of good practices at the regional and continental level.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between governance and the rule of law?▼
Governance refers to the set of processes, institutions, and norms by which power is exercised in a state or organization. The rule of law is a fundamental pillar: it ensures that all actors — including the governing ones — are subject to pre-established, fair, and impartially applied rules. In our interventions, both dimensions are inseparable: strengthening governance without consolidating the rule of law produces fragile and reversible reforms.
How do you measure the impact of your governance interventions?▼
Our projects define measurable results indicators from their inception: budget execution rates, corruption perception index (Transparency International), judicial timelines, number of agents trained and certified, proportion of texts adopted among those initiated, etc. We produce independent evaluation reports at mid-term and at the end of the project, and we align our methods with OECD-DAC standards.
Do you only operate in Africa?▼
Although Sub-Saharan Africa and the Maghreb represent most of our portfolio, ICE-FRANCE has conducted governance missions in the Middle East, the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia on behalf of multilateral donors. Our expertise is transferable to any context where ambitious institutional reforms are being undertaken.