Africa: From a National Concern to a National Program

Tehran—The most significant obstacle to the development of Iran’s relations with Africa may not be a lack of capacity, but a lack of knowledge. Africa is still often treated by Iranian economic actors as a single market, even though the continent consists of 54 countries with widely differing economies, legal systems, comparative advantages and development needs.

This gap in understanding can lead to decisions based on general assumptions, incomplete information or limited experience. As a result, genuine opportunities for cooperation may remain unidentified, while initiatives that do move forward may lack the preparation needed to produce lasting results.

At a recent meeting of the Africa headquarters, the First Vice President emphasized that “developing cooperation with African countries should become a national concern.” At first glance, the statement may appear to be a call for greater attention to the continent. In a broader policy context, however, it carries a more fundamental message: relations with Africa should move from episodic interest toward a strategic and coordinated national approach.

The statement also raises an important question: Has Africa actually become a national concern in Iran?

If a national concern is understood as an issue pursued as a shared priority by executive institutions, the private sector, universities, research centers, the media and financial institutions, the answer is not yet affirmative. Despite valuable steps in recent years, a considerable gap remains between Africa’s potential and the level of practical attention devoted to the continent in Iran.

This assessment does not mean that positive developments should be overlooked. Three Iran-Africa conferences have been held, the Africa headquarters has been reactivated, political and economic delegations have exchanged visits, joint commissions have been pursued more actively, and specialized meetings have been organized at the provincial level. One example cited in this context is a consultation meeting on economic cooperation between Yazd province and Africa.

These developments indicate that Iran’s approach to Africa is changing. The call to make cooperation with African countries a national concern can be viewed as part of a transition from a short-term or occasional perspective toward a more strategic one.

Yet experience shows that a national concern is not created by a slogan or even by the approval of a policy document. It emerges when the country’s principal actors develop a shared understanding of why the issue matters and what is required to pursue it. Without that common understanding, initiatives are likely to remain fragmented and dependent on temporary momentum.

## Knowledge as the starting point

Knowledge is the starting point for every transformation. No subject can become a national concern without a sufficiently accurate understanding of its significance, and no concern can become an effective program without collective determination.

From this perspective, the First Vice President’s remarks should be understood as the beginning of a process rather than its conclusion. The next step is to turn the concern into a national program.

The distinction is important. A concern establishes the importance of an issue; a program defines how that importance will be translated into action. A national program requires clear objectives, a division of responsibilities among institutions, a timetable, adequate resources, measurable indicators and a mechanism for continuously reviewing progress.

The instruction to prepare a strategy for developing relations with Africa and to establish specialized working groups within the Africa headquarters should be considered in this framework. It presents an opportunity to move beyond scattered activities and toward a coherent roadmap. At the same time, the quality of the final strategy will not by itself determine its success. Implementation will be equally important, and perhaps more decisive.

A strategy that is not connected to institutional responsibilities, financing, timelines and evaluation will remain a policy statement rather than become a functioning national program. The central challenge, therefore, is to ensure that planning is followed by consistent execution and that results are tracked over time.

## Building the necessary infrastructure

The infrastructure needed for cooperation with Africa deserves particular attention. When infrastructure is discussed, the focus often falls on transport, shipping, banking, insurance and logistics. These hard infrastructures are essential, but they are not sufficient.

Iran also needs soft infrastructure capable of supporting sustained engagement with African economies. This includes the production of specialized knowledge, market research, training for economic actors, the development of skilled personnel, the design of joint projects, the identification of reliable commercial partners, analysis of value chains and the creation of institutions that can provide these services continuously.

Such infrastructure can help replace generalized perceptions with country-specific analysis. Because African countries differ substantially from one another, successful cooperation requires a detailed understanding of individual markets, legal environments, sectors, institutions and development priorities. A single approach to the continent cannot adequately address this diversity.

The same principle applies to the design of commercial initiatives. Identifying a market opportunity is only an initial step. Long-term cooperation also depends on understanding local partners, regulatory conditions, financing requirements, production capabilities and the practical mechanisms needed to deliver a project.

## From trade to shared value creation

If Iran’s relations with Africa are to enter a new phase, the relationship should also move beyond trade alone. Many African countries need more than imported goods. Their requirements may include technology transfer, education, technical and engineering services, joint investment, the development of processing industries, knowledge-based cooperation and the implementation of shared projects.

This is where Iran’s capabilities could potentially be connected to the real needs of African countries. Such cooperation could raise relations from the level of exchanging goods to the level of creating shared value.

The shift would require a broader understanding of economic diplomacy. Rather than focusing only on selling products, institutions and businesses would need to consider how to develop durable partnerships, support local production, provide technical services, train personnel and participate in longer-term projects.

That approach would also require greater preparation from Iranian companies and public institutions. Businesses would need access to reliable market information and appropriate financial and logistical support. Public institutions would need to coordinate policies and reduce uncertainty. Universities and research centers could contribute country-specific studies, while knowledge-based companies could help develop solutions adapted to local conditions.

## A national responsibility, not the task of one institution

The responsibility for developing cooperation with Africa does not belong to a single institution. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs can play a coordinating and facilitating role, but the objective cannot be achieved without the participation of economic ministries, development organizations, chambers of commerce, universities, research centers, science and technology parks, knowledge-based companies, the media and provinces with relevant capabilities.

The experience of the Yazd meeting indicates that provincial capacities could become one of the drivers of Iran-Africa cooperation. Provinces may possess specialized industries, companies, universities and production capabilities that can be matched with opportunities in African countries. Activating these capacities would require coordination between national policy and local implementation.

A province-based approach could also make cooperation more concrete. Instead of treating Africa as a distant and general foreign-policy subject, provincial institutions and businesses could focus on specific sectors, partners and projects. This would not eliminate the need for national coordination; it would make that coordination more effective by connecting it to identifiable economic capabilities.

At the same time, participation must extend beyond government agencies. Private-sector organizations, financial institutions, academic bodies and media organizations all have roles to play in building the knowledge and confidence required for sustained engagement. Without their involvement, the idea of a national program would remain incomplete.

## From concern to implementation

The path ahead can be summarized in a simple sequence: knowledge creates concern; concern generates determination; determination becomes a national program; and a national program creates the conditions for effective action and shared value.

Iran may not yet be able to say that Africa has become a national concern in the full sense of the term. However, the issue has been presented with unusual clarity at the highest levels of decision-making. That creates an opportunity, but not a guarantee of success.

The opportunity will depend on whether the current emphasis is followed by deeper knowledge, the participation of all relevant actors, a clear division of responsibilities and a coherent plan. It will also depend on whether that plan is implemented consistently rather than treated as a one-time initiative.

If these conditions are met, Africa could move from being a relatively under-understood source of opportunity to becoming a sustained pillar of Iran’s economic diplomacy and international cooperation. The national concern is the starting point. The future of Iran-Africa relations will ultimately be determined by whether that concern is converted into a national program—and whether the program is implemented carefully, continuously and with measurable results.