The underlying strategic principles of AFRA enunciate the ways and means of achieving the set objectives of AFRA in the formulation, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of AFRA cooperative activities, with the emphasis on ownership:
- Underlining the central role of AFRA countries in the planning and management of regional cooperation undertakings;
- Use of thematic programmes rather than a project-by-project approach and improved planning in the context of coordinated support for regional priorities, objectives and policies;
- Emphasis on the use of available regional expertise and existing facilities for the planning, implementation and auditing of cooperative programmes;
- Gradual shifting of the managerial activities from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to the AFRA Programme Management Committee;
- Closer collaboration with partners in development from inside and/or outside the region;
- Consolidation of AFRA countries’ institutional capacity to enable them to assume full ownership of activities and pursue them upon the programme’s completion, as a key element of sustainability;
- Development and implementation of sound fund raising strategies in collaboration with major donors and continuous lobbying for AFRA activities that require extra-budgetary funding, including assistance to design and formulate sound project proposals;
- Priority attention to the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), including practical strategies to address their specific needs and overcome their difficulties;
- Promotion of the participation of women and youth in nuclear science and technology, through the design and implementation of specific activities and initiatives in collaboration with women and youth associations, and networking and sensitization of decision makers in Member States;
- Particular attention to the efficient management and preservation of nuclear knowledge, skill acquisition and retention and networking;
- Sustainable implementation of AFRA can only be achieved through ownership of the programme by Member States;
- Enhancement of success of AFRA project implementation by building appropriate linkages with development plans of Member States with statutory funding;
- Evolve an appropriate mechanism of adequate Member State participation in funding the activities of the AFRA programme;
- Assumption of greater management responsibilities by AFRA Member States;
- Particular attention to strengthen coordination and cooperation aimed at filling the relative gap in the nuclear science and technology infrastructure and knowledge between Member States.