HomeDocumentsMembershipWhat is AEPDAStructureGovernanceExpert RegistryAssemblies & EventsTransparencyHard Questions (FAQ)Year One StrategyMedia & StatementsContactThe Book

Federated architecture

Institutional structure

AEPDA uses a federated structure to enable participation at scale: chapters and councils organize participation and implementation without overriding member sovereignty.

Organs of AEPDA

Sovereignty resides with members through the General Assembly. Executive bodies execute mandates. Oversight bodies remain independent from executive power.

Members Sovereign authority through registration General Assembly Sets priorities, approves budgets, elects & recalls Governing Council Mandated servant body executing member decisions Executive Secretariat Day-to-day operations under strict accountability Audit Internal & external Ethics COI & integrity Transparency Reporting cadence Whistleblowing Protected channels Recall & oversight flows back to members

Chapters from continental to community

Chapters are instruments of participation, coordination, and delivery. They are accountable, transparent, and recallable within frameworks approved by members.

General Assembly Sovereign decisions & constitutional control Continental Coordination Implementation of mandates Regional Chapters Africa regions (federated) Country Chapters Member participation & delivery Diaspora Chapters Equal stakeholding abroad Sector Councils & Committees Expertise mobilization within mandates Provincial / District Units Coordination across sub-national areas City / Community Cells Local participation & civic work Members (local reality) Voting, proposals, participation, accountability All chapters are instruments of participation and implementation; they do not override member sovereignty.

Country chapters

Coordinate members inside a country; organize local assemblies, proposals, and implementation consistent with the Charter, Statutes, and By-Laws.

  • Member registration support
  • Local civic education
  • Proposal collection & prioritization
  • Program delivery under mandates

Regional chapters

Coordinate across countries within a region to harmonize priorities, share capacity, and support cross-border coordination where relevant.

  • Regional consultations
  • Cross-border sector coordination
  • Regional reporting and accountability

District / provincial units

Operational coordination below country level where necessary for inclusion and delivery, especially for rural participation.

  • Low-bandwidth participation facilitation
  • Assembly logistics and outreach
  • Local partner coordination (non-capture rules apply)

Community cells

Local participation groups where members meet, deliberate, and contribute ideas and implementation capacity.

  • Community consultations
  • Project feedback loops
  • Member support and onboarding assistance