{"id":32350,"date":"2011-11-18T03:21:58","date_gmt":"2011-11-18T03:21:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sierraexpressmedia.com\/?p=32350"},"modified":"2011-11-18T03:21:58","modified_gmt":"2011-11-18T03:21:58","slug":"professionals-gather-at-columbia-university-to-discuss-map-for-africas-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sierraexpressmedia.net\/?p=32350","title":{"rendered":"Professionals gather at Columbia University to discuss map for Africa\u2019s future"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Pan African Network at Columbia’s University School of International and Public Affairs (SPAN) in partnership with the Institute for African Studies (IAS) will hold its 5th annual African Diplomatic Forum (ADF) on November 18, 2011 at the School’s Kellogg Center in New York City.<\/span><\/p>\n

The ADF is an annual conference that gathers African diplomats, academics, students and activists to discuss the continent\u2019s interests and role in international affairs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Organizers say this year’s theme, “The Blueprint,” will take into consideration the enduring challenges of identifying the necessary foundations, developing the right tools, and drawing a coherent and unified plan for building a continent of strong institutions supported by strong civil societies. <\/span><\/p>\n

“Our aim for this conference and all the Africa-focused forums we organize is to promote dialogue, to educate participants and to elicit thoughts on the direction of Africa’s economic growth and development” said Modupe Onemola (photo above), a Gambian-born Nigerian graduate student and Vice President of SPAN. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis year we will focus on strategies needed to move the continent forward, region by region. ADF 2011 will consist of panelists from top-level organizations to grass-root leaders who are dedicated to the planning of Africa’s future for the coming years,” added Ms Onemola<\/span><\/p>\n

The ADF 2011 is convened at a crucial time when Africa faces a serious threat of becoming a conflict prone continent, considering the recent post electoral crises in Cote d\u2019Ivoire as well as crises in Egypt, Tunisia, Somalia and Libya.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Foday Sackor, President SIPA Pan African network (SPAN)<\/p><\/div>\n

Liberian born Foday Soko Sakorr is a SIPA Masters of International Affairs student concentrating in Energy Management and elected President of SPAN 2011 Executive Board.\u00a0 Mr. Sackor believes that this year\u2019s\u00a0\u00a0 forum\u00a0 discussions on some of the key challenges and opportunities for African development and political security\u00a0 \u201cwill yield some very practical ideas and explore issues that are very much part of current policy discussions and that they could very well inform the research and career paths of student attendees, as well as the work of professionals who participate.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0In his response to the question of security ramifications of the recent NATO bombardment of Libya Mr. Sackor said \u201cas for the issue of Libya, our panel themes are designed to address the key issues of African political development and security, but not necessarily to focus on any one event.\u00a0 Libya is an extremely pertinent topic. All issues of security and governance affecting the continent are on the table and we look forward to the perspectives our panelists and participants are going to bring to the dialogue.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Professor Horace Campbell, Prof. of African American Studies and Political Science, Syracuse University<\/p><\/div>\n

Horace Campbell, professor of African-American studies and political science at Syracuse University, currently Visiting Professor, Department of International Relations, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China has written extensively on Africa\u2019s development and security. In an email response to a request seeking comment s for this story said \u201cthe idea of building institutions in Africa cannot move forward without regard for how current institutions are integrated into an international criminal syndicate to plunder Africa.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Prof. Campbell also contends that \u201cAfricans must be more forceful on the question of war crimes in Libya.\u00a0 There must be an international tribunal for investigating the war crimes. The crimes against civilians and the indiscriminate bombings of Sirte are issues that must dominate the question of African security.\u00a0 Why, we as Africans are not pushing hard enough is my problem.\u201d
\nDuring the one day forum, panel discussions led by experts from academia, the public and private sectors, the UN, and civil society will revolve around the collective security, aspirations, and empowerment of African people, and how those who take on the task of stewarding the continent’s development can fulfill their duties to maintain its progress.<\/span><\/p>\n

ADF 2011 will consist of the following panels: <\/span><\/p>\n

Democracy in Conflict<\/span><\/address>\n
ICT, New Media, and E-Governance in Africa<\/span><\/address>\n
Role of Women in Political development presented by Yetunde A. Odugbesan<\/span><\/address>\n
Leadership in Africa \u2013 Past, Present and Future<\/span><\/address>\n
Institution Building: Enhancing Efficiency and Effectiveness<\/span><\/address>\n
BRICS: The New Roles and Relationships for African Development<\/span><\/address>\n

Mr. Ahmed Tidiane Souar\u00e9, former Prime Minister of the Republic of Guinea will deliver this year\u2019s Keynote address.<\/span><\/p>\n

Registration is free and open to the Public. To Register, please go to <\/span>www.adf2011.org<\/span><\/a>. Business Casual<\/span><\/p>\n

Attire encouraged.\u00a0 For further inquiries, please email the ADF team: <\/span>columbia.span@gmail.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

By Dennis Kabatto<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Stay with Sierra Express Media, for your trusted place in news!<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Pan African Network at Columbia’s University School of International and Public Affairs (SPAN) in partnership with the Institute for African Studies (IAS) will hold […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":32336,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[751,1],"tags":[10798,3300,10799,10800,10801,10802,10803],"class_list":["post-32350","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-global-news","category-uncategorized","tag-foday-soko-sakorr","tag-future-of-africa","tag-modupe-onemola","tag-pan-african-network","tag-professor-horace-campbell","tag-school-of-international-and-public-affairs","tag-span"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sierraexpressmedia.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32350","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sierraexpressmedia.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sierraexpressmedia.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sierraexpressmedia.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sierraexpressmedia.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=32350"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sierraexpressmedia.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32350\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sierraexpressmedia.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sierraexpressmedia.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=32350"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sierraexpressmedia.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=32350"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sierraexpressmedia.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=32350"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}