The Steering Committee elects the Secretariat, approves projects and secures funding. It is composed of two representatives from the private sector, civil society and academia, one representative per donor and two representatives of member countries.

The Steering Committee is the responsible decision-making body for all strategic matters related to the Alliance, unless explicitly assigned to the plenary. It shall take decisions by reflecting the views of key stakeholder groups in a participatory manner.

All members of COPA are part of the Plenary. The Plenary elects representatives of the different stakeholders to the Steering Committee. Members of the Plenary also work in the Thematic working groups. Meetings take place at least once a year, where the working groups present results and the plenary discusses next steps of the Alliance.

The Advisory Board advises and links the other elements of the COPA Governance structure. The Advisory Board ensures that the Steering Committee takes informed decisions and the Secretariat informed actions. It further provides technical inputs and ensures that the activities of the Alliance align with other international initiatives.

The Secretariat is currently formed by GIZ. It reports to and coordinates the Steering Committee and also coordinates the Plenary and the Thematic Working Groups. The Secretariat is also responsible for public communication on behalf of the Alliance.