The ultimate purpose of the Council on African World Affairs is to help ensure that the African World community has a comprehensive international affairs educational program. Its basic goal is to provide activities to meet the needs of its audiences. Among its more specific goals are:

• providing for the discussion of current African World issues among attentive citizens and internationally oriented professional community.
• increasing community participation in African World international affairs.
• increasing the number of community members seriously interested in African World affairs.
• raising the general level of community education about the African World by emphasizing, encouraging and facilitating conferences, lectures, discussions and publication.
• providing a meeting ground for national leaders, especially on issues critical to the African World.
• ensuring the regular presence of African World's leaders and renowned commentators in contact with the community.
• fostering policy analysis for key issues.
• enhancing the quality of present and future African World leadership.
• invigorating the community's international environment.
• improving the functioning of the community by identifying its international education needs and providing a complete and coordinated response to those needs.
• institutionalizing a comprehensive international affairs program.
• contributing to and demonstrating the vitality of a resurgent African World interest community, intellectually alive and aware of its national and international roles.
• encourage scholarship and academic excellence in our youth.
• strengthen the connection between all peoples of African descent.
• collate perspectives about African World affairs through a formal academic journal.
• provide development aid of various types to African peoples to help alleviate the challenges difficult human condition in Africa.