Two-year initiative will examine how trade, investment and policy reform can create jobs and address economic pressures that make migration a necessity 

WASHINGTON — The ONE Campaign today announced a grant from the Andrew Carnegie Foundation to support a two-year research and policy initiative examining how stronger economic pathways in African countries can expand opportunity and help make migration a genuine choice. 

Working with African research institutions, ONE will investigate how trade policy, development finance and private investment can translate into job creation and more resilient local economies. The findings will inform practical recommendations for U.S. and Canadian policymakers, development finance institutions and investors seeking to strengthen economic partnerships with African countries. 

“Africa’s economic potential must translate into jobs and opportunities for the people who live there,” said Elizabeth Hoffman, Executive Director for North America at the ONE Campaign. “With Carnegie’s support, we will work with African partners to identify how U.S. and Canadian trade and investment policies can help deliver that promise so more people can build secure futures at home and migration is a choice, not an economic necessity.” 

The initiative will explore a central question: what turns trade and investment commitments into jobs and economic opportunities that people can access? Research will examine the policy choices that support local businesses, connect workers with growing industries and enable African economies to capture more value from what they produce. 

The project will combine analysis of existing evidence with field research in three African countries, selected in consultation with local partners. African research institutions and ONE’s Africa-based staff will help shape research questions and interpret findings, with input from businesses, government officials, civil society and stakeholders working on youth employment. 

ONE will publish a flagship report and policy briefs, convene policymakers and investors, and organize site visits to examine economic growth initiatives firsthand. Recommendations will inform trade, investment and development finance discussions in Washington, Ottawa and international forums. 

The initiative recognizes that migration has multiple causes and can benefit people, communities and economies. Its focus is on addressing economic pressures that leave people feeling they have little choice but to leave their countries. Carnegie’s support will fund dedicated research and policy engagement, building on ONE’s existing expertise and partnerships. 

The initiative aims to inform decisions during the two-year project and establish an evidence base that supports longer-term economic opportunity and stability. 

About the ONE Campaign 

ONE is a global, nonpartisan organization advocating for the investments needed to create economic opportunities and healthier lives in Africa. Since 2004, it has helped secure more than $1 trillion in new investments that build a safer, more prosperous world. ONE’s trusted advocacy combines hard-hitting data, grassroots activism and political engagement to influence decision makers and drive lasting change. Learn more at ONE.org.