TANZANIA has objected to prioritising research themes arising from interests of foreign organisations funding such research.

Ambassador Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, the Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation minister, issued this appeal here over the weekend when participating in a discussion at the first Africa Peace and Security Dialogue (APSD).

It was organised by the Thabo Mbeki Foundation in the South African commercial capital of Johannesburg, where the minister urged scholars, civil society organisations and research institutions working on African matters to prioritise patriotism and the continent's interests.

He said that research outcomes should serve the needs of Africa, where the findings are beneficial to governments and citizens, in a discussion focused on how African governments incorporate research findings into their decision-making processes.

The key aspect on research spheres was conflict resolution, where the minister highlighted the critical role that research plays in informing government policy.

Research needs to be relevant and serve the best interests of the continent, he said, pointing out that African researchers often prioritise the interests of their funders.

In turn, the research is conducted in such a way that it distorts the reality of the issues and undermines the value of their findings for African governments, he stressed

"We all understand that conducting research requires resources, substantial funding, and adequate time. As a result, many African governments are unable to conduct research on numerous issues within a timely manner,” he said, urging scholars and institutions with the opportunity to carry out research to put Africa's interests first.

This way the findings can truly benefit governments and their respective populations, he stated, listing vital issues facing Africans that we need to explore as including “the extent of resources available in our nations.”

“However, many studies do not address these questions, instead focusing on topics that primarily benefit the interests of external funders,” he remarked, demanding that researchers maintain high standards of quality and professionalism in their work.

Sometimes research results, particularly statistics, are inaccurate or unrealistic, which can negatively impact the implementation of policies and programmes that rely on such data, he suggested.

The dialogue was attended by foundation head and ex-president Thabo Mbeki, Zimbabwean Foreign Affairs minister Frederick Shava, with Professor Antoni van Nieuwkerk from Wits University in Johannesburg moderating the discussion.

The three-day dialogue seeks to address peace and security challenges while exploring sustainable solutions to ongoing conflicts on the African continent