Aga Khan Network: Decades of shaping East Africa’s progress

The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) positions itself as a unique, multi-sectoral development agency focused on improving quality of life. Its longstanding presence in Tanzania, since 1905, reflects a commitment to pioneering initiatives in education, healthcare, and economic growth.

In this interview with MCL Executive Editor, Mpoki Thomson, AKDN’s Diplomatic Representative to Tanzania and East Africa, Amb Amin Mawji, shares key insights about how one of the largest private development networks in the world has shaped economic development and continues to impact the lives of many in the region. Excerpts.

What is AKDN’s core purpose?

People often ask whether the AKDN is some kind of NGO, charity, private sector, or public sector organisation. The answer is that none of these labels really fit. The AKDN is a unique organisation.

We are a private development agency that focuses on development not in a single sector, but across a wide spectrum of development needs.  Whether it’s economic, social, or cultural issues, the network aims to address development challenges for specific communities across this entire spectrum.

AKDN has been active in Tanzania for decades. What would you highlight as the most transformative impact of its work?

The impact of AKDN must be measured on many different fronts. Our presence in Tanzania and the region goes back 120 years.

Tanzania holds a special place because the very first Aga Khan project was in Tanzania – a school that began in 1905. It was a school for girls, open to all communities. In discussing impact, let’s focus on the AKDN’s primary role: acting as a pioneering organisation.

That school created an environment where diversity and pluralism became part of our daily mindset, and where girls’ education became a priority because we made it one.

That’s how to understand our impact, whether in education, healthcare, or economic development.

How do you ensure local ownership and sustainability in the countries where you operate?

Tanzanian governments, over time, have been our partners. It is core to AKDN’s philosophy that we only work in places where we have a partnership with the government. We are not a profit-making organisation. What we do is development work.

Every dollar that is generated is reinvested back into development. Not a single dollar ever goes back to the Aga Khan.

How does AKDN coordinate its development agenda across East African countries, especially within regional bodies like the East African Community (EAC)?

In healthcare, for instance, much of our work focuses on researching the diseases that affect East African communities.

Whether it’s cancer, diabetes, or other non-communicable diseases, the genetic makeup of people in East Africa is different from those in California or Germany. Our research is customised for the East African population.

We aim to create an integrated healthcare system and centres of excellence across the region.

What are some of the biggest development gaps you see across East Africa today, and how is

AKDN working to address them?

A key challenge for any organisation like ours is to keep monitoring the shifting requirements of development. At one point, East Africa lacked sufficient broadband internet capacity.

AKDN was the first to bring broadband internet to East Africa via Seacom, transforming internet access across the region.

Similarly, when energy generation was lacking in certain areas, we invested in energy, including renewable sources.

We are constantly reassessing development needs, whether in energy or telecommunications. More recently, we’ve focused on climate change and its impact in East Africa.

What does the global financial squeeze and deprioritisation of external support from Western countries mean for AKDN?

We work with partners from around the world. Today, as some countries reprioritise their budgets, shifting from development to defence and security, they leave funding gaps.

Our immediate priority is to see how we can fill that void without scaling back our work. Programs already in motion will continue.

If a partner withdraws support, we look for alternative funding.

The reality is that development funding is shifting, so we must find innovative ways within Africa to fill those gaps. Many African countries will also need to assess how reduced globalisation may impact trade.

In such situations, boosting intra-African trade becomes even more important. The opportunity is immense: Africa’s young, growing, and increasingly middle-class population creates a vast market.

How has AKDN’s development strategy evolved over the years in light of changing dynamics?

Our strategy evolves over time. When we began development in Tanzania more than a century ago, there was no industrialisation.

After independence, AKDN initiated a program called Industrial Promotion Services, which jump-started industrial development across several sectors.

These efforts helped governments create policy frameworks and set industry standards.

Once the sector was developed, we stepped back; our role was pioneering. Today, we are looking to develop pharmaceutical plants in East Africa to manufacture drugs for East Africans and reduce dependency on imports from Western countries.

How has technology changed the way you operate?

Technology is reshaping how we deliver services. In both education and healthcare, we ask ourselves how to better use AI and robotics.

In healthcare, for example, AI can improve diagnostics and enhance the patient experience. We explore how best to integrate these technologies across our services.

Mwananchi Communications Ltd is part of AKDN’s media investments. How does AKDN view the role of independent media in development?

To answer your question, we must understand why the Aga Khan believed in establishing a media house across the region.

As East African countries approached independence in the 1950s, His Highness the Aga Khan IV believed that a vital organ of democracy (a free press) should be available to citizens.

He invested significantly in creating a media house that would be independent in its editorial policy and not influenced by its proprietor, with a strong focus on quality journalism.

What opportunities is AKDN creating for young people in Tanzania and the region, especially in skills, jobs, and entrepreneurship?

We must acknowledge the contribution that good governance has made. Today, Tanzania enjoys macroeconomic stability, relatively low inflation, and strong business sentiment. The credit goes to the government’s effective management. Security has also encouraged investment.

As for youth, we must ensure they are being educated for future jobs, not just today’s. Soon, one in every two new entrants to the global workforce will come from Africa.

In time, 30 to 40 percent of the world’s employable population will be African. Are we equipping them with the right skills? That’s the key question.

In 2012, you were awarded an OBE by Her Majesty the Queen for your public service in the UK. How have your personal experiences shaped your leadership at AKDN?

We are always asking how to bring the best practices into any given situation. Having worked in various geographies and industries, I’ve had a window into what good practice looks like elsewhere. These experiences shape how we approach challenges and lead development initiatives.

You are a published author. How do your books reflect AKDN’s role and impact in society?

   I wrote Poverty to Prosperity to explore how others around the world have addressed shared challenges. In my research, I found valuable case studies, from Asia’s fight against poverty to South Korea’s nation-building strategies.  

      We must be open to learning from others, just as some of the work we do in East Africa may be considered best practice elsewhere.

What is AKDN’s long-term vision?

Our core philosophy remains unchanged: improving the quality of life and working with governments to eliminate poverty.

While the challenges people face evolve, and so do the solutions, our commitment is constant.

As we lift people out of poverty, governments have critical roles to play, just as the private sector has unique contributions to make.

What still concerns you about the development environment?

A major concern is climate change. Many have yet to fully grasp its potential impact on agriculture, coastal regions, and already arid zones. We must urgently explore ways to mitigate risks and reduce harm for those most vulnerable.

What is the one message you want people to understand about AKDN’s enduring commitment?

AKDN is a unique entity. People often try to simplify it as either the private sector, charity, or philanthropy. It is none of these; it is complex.  The broad spectrum of development work we do is driven by one purpose: to improve quality of life. And that involves many interconnected aspects.