The African Renaissance Monument is a bronze statue under construction in Ouakam in Dakar, Senegal. Construction of the statue began in 2006 and is due to be finished in December 2009. The monument depicts three figures; a man holding a woman aloft and a child resolutely pointing out towards the sea. Construction of the project is being carried out by the North Korean firm Mansudae Overseas Project Group of Companies.. The statue was designed by the Senegalese architect Pierre Goudiaby Atepa.
The project was launched by Senegalese president Abdoulaye Wade who considers it part of Senegal's prestige projects, aimed at providing monuments to herald a new era of African Renaissance. However the project has also attracted controversy due to Abdoulaye Wade claiming the intellectual property rights and insisting that he is entitled to 35 percent of the profits raised. Senegalese opposition leaders have also questioned the style of the project, labelling it "Stalinist", and its cost at $27 million. Opposition figures have sharply criticised Wade's plan to claim intellectual property rights, insisting that the president cannot claim copyright over ideas conceived as function of his public office..