Annual African Diplomatic Forum Focuses on New Leadership Frontier
By Dennis Kabatto – After hosting successful forums for the sixth consecutive year addressing political, socio-economical and many other issues detrimental to the development of Africa and its citizens, Columbia University will launch the 7th Annual African Diplomatic Forum (ADF) on Friday, November 22 at its Morningside campus in Harlem, New York.
“We have several things we hope to achieve but if we end up achieving these 3, we would be ecstatic,” Ghanaian born Cassandra Mensah Abrampah – President of Columbia School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) Pan African Network Executive Board, the organizers of ADF 2013 – said in a statement Monday night.
“For the hardcore ‘Africanists’ coming: We hope to spark constructive and enlightening dialogue about “agency” on the continent. The New Frontier of Leadership does not wait for things to happen or be aligned in place. It takes what is given, and constructs something tangible out of it,” Ms Abrampah said.
“For the New to Africa/Curious about Africa attendees: We want them to question all the stereotypes they have about the continent and to deepen their analysis of issues on the continent and for everyone coming: We hope that everyone leaves having learned something new and hopefully made a new connection in a field that they find interesting.”
Cassandra Mensah Abrampah – President – Columbia University’s SIPA Pan-African Network Executive Board
During this year’s forum, nineteen distinguished scholars will address the following issues: What does a changing leadership landscape mean for governance reform and democracy, both at home and with regard to perceptions of African leadership abroad? How are private sector companies and international institutions responding to the need for increased investment in the context of new governance paradigms? How are young, business-minded leaders – many of them women – changing the face of social welfare, education and health programs? In addition, what role might new media, cell phones, and other forms of network technology play in the execution of policy, the formation of new business, and the rise of new constituencies?
Despite the name of the Forum and African government leaders and diplomats have participated in the past, Ms Ambrampah made it abundantly clear that Friday’s conference does not really have African Governments in mind as the target audience. According to her, people attending the forum are the core target audience, because as she puts it “the question is what can YOU do as a leader?”
However, she hopes that African governments can utilize some of the constructive implementable ideas that will emanate from the conference.
The forum is held at a time when Africa is faced with overarching issues such as corruption, high youth unemployment, diversity management, gender inequality, electoral violence land reform and mismanagement of natural resources.
According to Ms Ambrampah, this conference “is really about sustainable, equitable development and the role leadership (be it person, government, private sector, multinationals, social media, law, etc) has to play in it.”
Friday’s Session will commence with Registration and breakfast from 09:00 AM – 10:00 AM, Opening Keynotes 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM, Panel 1: Bridging the Gap: Fostering Investment in African Infrastructure 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM. Panel 2: New Media, New Voices: The Impact of New Media on Society and Good Governance in Africa. Lunch & Special Presentation 12:30 – 1:30 PM; Panel 3: Human Rights, the Law and Building African Capacities for Justice 01:30 – 03:30 PM. Panel 4: Women as Catalysts of Change in the African Development Story. Closing Keynote Address & Questions 03:00 PM – 04:00 PM and Networking Event is scheduled from 4 pm to 6 pm.
For more information on Registration and directions, visit their website: http://www.cuadf.com/
