About the project

Public book policies mapping in Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa/Madagascar and the Arab world

The project

The mapping of public book policies in Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa/Madagascar and the Arab world is an unprecedented tool for providing information and consolidating data on public support for books and reading in 32 countries.

The mapping offers a comparative approach to public book policies in three regions of the world – Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa/Madagascar and the Arab world – and emphasises the need to maintain bibliodiversity in these regions. These overviews, particularly through the cross-sectional analyses, provide specific information on the measures implemented in each country, through the country profiles. These two levels of information reflect the similarities, but also the nuances, that exist between the countries under study. One of the main aims of this tool is to encourage dialogue between publishing professionals and public authorities in order to consolidate and/or develop public policies in each country. 

This entire project has been made possible thanks to the mobilisation of publishers – a priority project resulting from the 2014 International Conference on Independent Publishing, which took shape through their commitment and involvement, and thanks to the support of our partners (see “Partners” below).

Implementation and methodology

The mapping project was the subject of three preliminary phases of work that preceded the design and layout of this platform.

The first stage consisted of a major data-gathering exercise based on a questionnaire that was widely distributed to book professionals and public authority representatives in geographical areas where data on books is incomplete and often disparate. The information made available is therefore mainly “coming from the ground”. Additional desktop research (on the websites of Ministries of Culture, international organisations such as UNESCO, etc.) was carried out to complete or triangulate the data. The professionals provided details of certain provisions (“Contributions”) when they felt this was necessary and would shed light on the practical implementation of a provision: for example, the Florence Agreement may be ratified in one country but not implemented. It was important to be able to specify the existing gaps between a public policy and its application in practice.

The second stage of the project was focused on analysing the data received from the field by academics (see “Working teams” below): country reports and cross-cutting analyses for each of the regions.  The overviews drawn up make it possible to identify gaps and also to list good practices in terms of public book policies at national and regional level. They also make it possible to draw up detailed priority proposals for each of the countries and regions studied. 

Finally, the Dépli Studio was commissioned to design visual illustrations of the public policies relating to books, which have been incorporated into this interactive map.

The mapping was developed between 2018 and 2019 for the following 2 regions: Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa/ Madagascar. Work to update the data for these two regions has been underway since November 2025. The mapping was finalised in 2025 for the Arab world (the data collected dates from 2023-2024 for this region).

Objectives

  • Compile and make available data on public book policies in the countries concerned;
  • Produce panoramas of public book policies that are freely accessible, consultable and reusable by professionals and public authorities;
  • Encourage dialogue and exchanges between professionals from different countries;
  • Encourage dialogue and exchanges between public authorities and publishers;
  • Develop advocacy tools for independent publishers;
  • Contribute to the implementation and consolidation of public policies for books in the countries concerned (among other things, to promote the wider circulation of books and ideas, the appropriation of digital tools by book professionals, and balanced exchanges between North and South…);
  • Assert the role of civil society (book professionals and independent publishers in particular) in developing and implementing public policy on books.    

Instructions for use

This interactive platform lists the existing schemes known to the professionals between 2018 and 2019 [2025 update in progress] and 2023-2024, the period during which the first and second stages of the work will be implemented (see “Implementation and methodology”). 

This data can be consulted via two entries on the site. The first provides information by country (country fact sheets can be downloaded and printed), while the second focuses on a thematic approach. In addition, three transversal analyses can be consulted and downloaded in PDF format.

For Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa/ Madagascar: as the information available on this map is the result of an analysis carried out over the period 2018 and 2019, the public systems mentioned are therefore likely to undergo changes that could lead to improvements, developments, but also to abolition or restrictions. Updating the data monthly is an on-going challenge. This is why this project is interactive and participative, so that the data can be updated. For example, there is a “contribute” function visible at the bottom of each country sheet: this open-source contribution system allows visitors to share important information relating to public policy on books and reading in one of the countries concerned. Comments will be moderated by the International Alliance of Independent Publishers team before being added to the platform. This contribution function may also allow visitors to suggest the creation of a file on a country that has not yet been studied.

The International Alliance of Independent Publishers

The International Alliance of Independent Publishers is a professional association of more than 980 independent publishing houses in 60 countries around the world. Created as an association in 2002, it is organised into 6 language networks and thematic groups. All of the Alliance’s activities are aimed at promoting bibliodiversity (cultural diversity applied to the world of books). For more information: www.alliance-editeurs.org

As part of its mission, the Alliance has created the Bibliodiversity Observatory, an evolving and collaborative space that brings together research, analyses and tools produced within the Alliance, for professionals and public authorities. The themes studied in the Observatory reflect the concerns of Alliance publishers, the issues and challenges they face, and the battles waged to promote greater cultural diversity.

Working teams

Three teams comprising academics and publishers who are members of the International Alliance of Independent Publishers carried out the data collection and analysis in the three regions. 

For the “Sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar” region:

Losange Consulting, Cameroon

A team of researchers, journalists and book professionals, led by Serge Dontchueng Kouam (Presses universitaires d’Afrique, member of the Alliance). 

Luc Pinhas, France 

Luc Pinhas, who retired in September 2019, was a lecturer at the UFR des sciences de la communication at Université Paris 13 Villetaneuse and head of the Master’s degree in Publishing, with a major in Book Marketing. He is vice-president of the International Alliance of Independent Publishers, and his work focuses on the socio-economics and history of French and French-speaking publishing and bookshops, as well as the history of gay printing.

For the “Latin America” region:

Paulo Slachevsky, Lom Ediciones, Chile

Paulo Slachevsky is a photographer and co-founder and director of LOM Editions (Chile), a member of the Alliance. He is the author of the books Industrias culturales: un aporte al desarrollo (2004) and La diversidad cultural: un debate internacional, un debate en Chile (2004), as well as the photography books Tierra del Fuego (co-published with Silvia Aguilera in 1996) and El pan nuestro de cada día (with Claudio Pérez, Oscar Navarro and Carlos Tobar, in 1986).

Juan Carlos Sáez, JC Sáez Editor, Chile

Juan Carlos Saez is a Chilean publisher (member of the Alliance) whose publishing house is committed to promoting key modern ideas in the fields of science and the social sciences.

Andrés Fernández Vergara, Chile

Andrés E. Fernández Vergara holds a Master’s degree in Management and Public Policy and another in Industrial Civil Engineering, both from the University of Chile. He is a researcher at the Centre for Public Systems (CSP) at the same university, specialising in the quantitative evaluation of public policies, through the analysis of programmes run by the Ministry of Social Development and CORFO – a Chilean state body responsible for the development of national industry. He has worked on the book trade and reading activities in Chile and Latin America, and on related policies and support instruments, from a systemic perspective. He also works for the Investigation Centre for Inclusive Education, where he studies the role of education in Chilean society.

For the “Arab world” region:

The mapping for the Arab world was coordinated by:

  • Samar Haddad, Atlas Publishing, Syria
  • Faez Allam, Syria

Data by country were collected thanks to:

  • Fouad Akleek (Palestine)
  • Zaki Al Hajiri (Oman)
  • Samer Ameen (Dar Azminah, Jordan)
  • Nawaf Ayashi (Dar Jadal, Kuwait)
  • Imad Boumedien (Dal Al Reem, Sudan)
  • Sami Dhibi (Tunisia)
  • Mohamed El Baali (Sefsafa Publishing, Egypt)
  • Lama Hassanieh (Syria)
  • Zeina Mir Ali (Lebanon)
  • Kenza Sefrioui (En toutes lettres, Morocco)
  • Bilal Kaid Omar (Yemen)

The cross-sectional analysis was carried out by Hani Altelfah (Turkey) – with contributions from Franck Mermier.

Our partners

The International Alliance of Independent Publishers and the team of professionals involved in this project would like to express their sincere thanks to the Fondation de France, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Open Society Foundations – the partners who made this project possible.

The project was coordinated by the International Alliance of Independent Publishers (www.alliance-editeurs.org).

Contact: equipe@alliance-editeurs.org