These security challenges are gathering momentum and scope in one of the poorest and most sparsely settled areas of Africa. The spaces of the Sahel are not “ungoverned,” though states have a great deal of difficulty projecting power throughout vast territories. Weak governance, social and political marginality, ineffectual state policies and the effects of climate change have all converged to pressure livelihoods and erode legitimacy in many of the Sahelian states.  Steps toward democratization and political reform have yielded partial and sporadic inclusion, but not resilient or accountable electoral regimes. There is a range of political and developmental response across the region, including promising steps toward democratic development in Senegal, political failure and crisis in Mali, and emergency security responses amid dominant party rule in Nigeria.

This conference focuses on the issues of governance and development underlying the evolving security dilemmas in Sahelian states. Beyond the daily reporting of attacks, military efforts and peacekeeping initiatives, the rapidly deteriorating security landscape reflects problems of consolidating state authority, developing inclusive democratic structures, and improving economic prospects for changing populations. Separate panels will examine the political and economic foundations of conflict in northern Nigeria; problems of political recovery and regional accommodation in Mali; sources of contentious politics in other Sahelian states; and policy options for addressing issues of governance and development in the region.  We are interested in demography and migration; climate and livelihoods; state-building and electoral rule; economic growth and prospects of structural change; communal bargaining and autonomy; security sector reform and conflict resolution.

Conference Agenda

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The New African Democracy: Information Technology and Political Participation

May 1-2, 2012

— Keynote: Ebrahim Rasool, South African Ambassador to United States
Information and communications technologies (ICTs) are helping to advance political participation and social movements in Africa. The use of ICTs for democratic participation and government accountability offer exciting new possibilities that are changing politics and development in Sub-Saharan Africa. The recent North African revolutions have shown that rising ICT connectivity can facilitate political and social movements, placing new pressures and demands on autocracies and democracies alike. A major conference organized by the African Studies Program at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies will examine these trends and their implications. The meeting will bring together experts and policymakers to discuss challenges and opportunities for African politics in the digital age.

The conference will address two broad questions:

(i) How has ICT advanced democratic participation, government accountability, and state-society relations in Africa?
(ii) How can policy better support connectivity and the use of ICT for democratic political participation and government accountability and transparency in the region?

To understand the drivers of change, we must look at levels of freedom in a society, how active is civil society, and how densely different societies are connected by ICTs. These factors can be measured and traced. The type of regime, ICT penetration, and levels of social mobilization should be mapped and analyzed for a fuller picture of technology and politics. Although the IT boom has had a positive impact in Africa, the effects of technology is uneven. Whether it’s the printing press or the micro-blog, technology has been fundamental to human progress throughout the world. But there are many questions as to how technology will be used, as well as the direction and pace of technologically-driven change. Between 2000 and 2010, the number of fixed internet subscriptions in Tanzania sharply rose from 10,000 to 488,000, while Guinea-Bissau has yet to reach 700 subscriptions. In Kenya, women’s self-reported use of the internet was less than half of men’s internet use, and even low-tech information sources such as newspapers reported a similar gender-gap in usage. A more discerning look at ICTs and politics in Africa can yield important policy implications. Collaboration and support from local donors, international foundations, government agencies, and private investors have accelerated the proliferation of ICT’s across Africa. How can foreign supporters collaborate more effectively with local organizations to promote good governance through ICT?

Conference Agenda

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Two Decades of Democracy and Governance in Africa: Lessons Learned, Challenges and Prospects
June 20-22, 2011 (Dakar, Senegal)

The Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA), in partnership with the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies organized the international conference, “Two decades of democracy and governance in Africa: lessons learned, challenges and prospects” bringing together academics, activists and politicians from Africa, Europe, Asia and the Americas.

Participants generated intellectual reflections and rigorous discussion on how the process of democratization in Africa and the architecture of governance have promoted social justice, social progress and development on the continent over the past two decades.

The conference focused on progress and achievements, lessons learned, failures, challenges and opportunities, and policy-based interventions that might be useful to improve democracy and governance in Africa in the next two decades of the 21st century.

Visit the conference site for more information.

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Africa: 53 Countries, One Union– The New Challenges
June 15-16, 2011

The  new Conference “Africa: 53 Countries, One Union – The New Challenges” has taken place in Washington, DC on June 15 and 16, 2011.

This was the second in a series of three conferences; the first one was held in Bologna last year, and the last one will be held in Addis Ababa in 2012. The main objective was to offer to senior policy makers and experts the opportunity to discuss the relevance of regional and continental integration in the solution of major African problems, including those generated by recent developments which now challenge our concepts of freedom and democracy.

This year our Foundation for World Wide Cooperation has teamed up with the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars to organize this series of events.

The Conference has focused on the roles of the United Nations, African Union, European Union and the United States and China governments. International organizations such as the World Bank, African Development Bank, World Trade Organization, and Economic Commission for Africa had also been involved.

The Conference opening on June 15 took place at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (the Ronald Reagan Building) and the working sessions on June 16 were held at Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies.

Visit the conference site for more information.

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Africa’s New Era: Learning from the Past and Preparing for the Future
March 1-2, 2011

Africa has often been associated with discouraging economic performance, yet the continent’s development story seems to be making a change for the better. Africa’s economic growth rate accelerated from 1996 to 2008, making it the third fastest growing region in the world. The region has benefitted from increased macroeconomic stability, elevated global demand for its natural resources, and new sources of investment. Additionally, emerging sectors such as telecommunications, banking, retail and agriculture have contributed to Africa’s growth. The changes on the continent are not only economic; democratization and reduced conflict have enhanced development prospects. Nonetheless, Africa’s achievements remain fragile due to a legacy of economic failure, war, corruption, and weak institutions.

This conference explores the key factors that have contributed to the acceleration of African development over the past decade. Additionally, participants identify the key risks and opportunities for the region’s development looking ahead. Influential members of academia, the policy world, and the private sector discuss these issues and provide recommendations.

Conference Agenda

Conference Powerpoint Presentations:

• Governance Empirics on Africa: New Dawn and Premature Exuberance? By Daniel Kauffman
• The African Governance Report (AGR): Key Findings and the AGR III, By Said Adejumobi
• Africa’s Economic Future: Learning from the Past, By Augustin Fosu
• Governance & Private Investment In Africa: Lessons From A Failed Lease in the Water Sector
• Why Africa is Poor and What Africans Can Do About It, By Greg Mills
• Africa’s New Era: Balancing market and government failures, By Shanta Devarajan

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Hopkins All-University Seminar on Africa (HAUSA) Workshop:
April 25, 2008

The Hopkins All-University Seminar on Africa (HAUSA) brings together Africa-focused research from the University’s varied disciplines and academic backgrounds. Faculty and graduate students are invited to present current Africa-related research on a variety of topics from the social sciences, health sciences, humanities, business, law, or other disciplines. Research focused on African themes and current issues, or based on African field research, is welcome.

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Elections in Africa: Democratic Challenges and U.S. Response
April 4, 2008

Today, democratic governments are seen across Africa, following decades of authoritarian rule. In dozens of countries, multi-party elections have become routine events. Yet elections vary widely in quality, along with their effects on emerging democratic politics. Founding elections may provide a confident beginning for a democratic regime, or they may tarnish the credibility of the new system. Subsequent elections can ratify democratic norms and bolster confidence in competitive democracy, or else they can spur crises and political violence among contending factions.

The U.S. government has set forth goals of promoting the emergence and development of democracy in Africa. However, governance often competes with other policy goals including security, trade, health, and economic reform. The rhetoric of democracy assistance has not always been matched by the reality of aid and political commitments.  Non-governmental organizations continue to press for credible and peaceful elections throughout Africa.

This conference will look at recent elections in Africa in the context of U.S. policy in the region. Speakers will cover democratic trends in Africa and the changing elements of U.S. policy. Participants will also analyze the context of recent elections in Kenya, Nigeria, Mauritania, Sierra Leone, and Zimbabwe, covering positive experiences as well as more troubled cases.

Conference Agenda

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50 Years of Ghana’s Independence: Politics, Society and Development
November 2, 2007

Ghana’s independence in March 1957 was a bellwether for Africa, ushering in the era of decolonization and the continent’s emergence on the world stage. In the years after independence, hope contended with realism as Ghana experienced different political arrangements, economic policies and ideological paths. During the past five decades, Ghana has reflected many challenges typical of the region. Aspirations for democracy were often stifled by episodes of military rule, expectations for development were offset by economic decline, and the goals of national unity contended with ethnic rivalry.  While the early decades were marked by state weakness and authoritarianism, Ghana has steadily achieved growing stability, democracy, and economic improvement over the past twenty years. This conference will review Ghana’s post-colonial experience, the dimensions of political and economic change, and expectations for the country’s future. An exceptional group of analysts and practitioners have been gathered for this conference.

Conference Agenda

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China’s New Engagement With Africa: Opportunity and Challenge
April 6-7, 2007

China’s activities in Africa have expanded dramatically in recent years. Diplomatic engagement, foreign aid, trade, investment and lending have all grown substantially. Beijing hosted a major summit meeting of African leaders last year, and President Hu Jintao recently completed a tour through the African continent. China has become a major donor and trading partner to African countries, overtaking such traditional powers as the UK. China’s new engagement suggests a major transition in the strategic landscape of Africa.

What are the trends in China’s African relations, and the possible implications? While some observers see new opportunities for African economic development and strategic balancing, others see maneuvers for energy and commodities, along with possible liabilities for governance and security.

The SAIS African Studies Program, in partnership with the Council for African Studies  at the School of International Service (SIS), will convene a major conference on April 6-7 to explore these issues.

Panelists will discuss:

• China’s evolving foreign policy goals;
• The articulation of alternate development models for Africa;
• African concerns and motives with relation to China;
• The effects of China’s engagement on energy and commodity markets;
• Implications for governance and security in the region;
• Important bilateral relationships between China and selected African states;
• European responses to China’s African relations;
• US policy and the new strategic terrain in Africa
• Participants will include scholars and policy professionals from Africa, the United States, China, and Europe.

Conference Agenda

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Nigeria’s Political Outlook: The 2007 Elections and Beyond

Joint statement on Nigeria’s elections (released May 17, 2007): The statement reflects the views of individuals who participated in the Washington, DC conference series, and as election observers in Nigeria.

Nigerians look forward to state and national elections in April 2007, marking the first time since independence that civilian administrations will change through the ballot box. This democratic watershed is surrounded by a great deal of uncertainty, as Nigeria’s political terrain has become increasingly contentious. Will elections be held on time? Will the polls be peaceful? Will the results be broadly accepted by the Nigerian public? What is the potential for electoral violence? How will opposition parties and losing candidates respond? Will the 2007 elections mark a step forward for Nigeria’s fledgling democracy, or a crisis of confidence and stability for Africa’s most populous nation?

These questions will be addressed by panel of prominent Nigerian academics, media analysts and NGO leaders, joined by senior Nigerian leaders and US-based democracy partners. The half-day meeting will include sessions on:

• Nigeria’s political terrain
• The state of election preparations
• Luncheon keynote on Nigeria’s democratic prospects

Participants include:

• Mr. Reuben Abati, Guardian Newspapers
• Mr. Innocent Chukwuma, CLEEN Foundation and Transition Monitoring Group
• Dr. Jibrin Ibrahim, Center for Democratic Development
• Dr. Rotimi Suberu, University of Ibadan and USIP
• Dr. Peter Lewis, Johns Hopkins, SAIS
• Keynote Speaker: Honorable Nasir El-Rufai, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory

This is the first of four conferences on Nigeria’s 2007 elections, jointly sponsored by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Council on Foreign Relations, the U.S. Institute of Peace, the African Studies Program at Johns Hopkins-SAIS and the African Studies Program at Northwestern University.

Conference Agenda

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SAIS-Sorbonne Research Symposium: The United States, France, and Africa–  Competition or Complementarity?
December 8, 2006

This meeting, hosted by the African Studies Program and the Center for Transatlantic Relations, brought together scholars and policy analysts from the U.S and leading French institutions. About 90 participants from the U.S., Europe and Africa participated in the all-day conference.

Papers and commentary covered the changing position of Africa in the international system; the evolution of U.S. and French foreign policies toward Africa; the changing strategic landscape in Africa; and the particular challenges of peacekeeping in African conflicts.

Participants include:

• Daniel Bourmaud, INALCO, Paris
• Esther Brimmer, Center for Transatlantic Relations, SAIS
• Michel Girard, Sorbonne, Paris
• Peter Lewis, African Studies Program, SAIS
• Princeton Lyman, Council on Foreign Relations
• Jean-Luc Marret, Johns Hopkins SAIS, Center for Transatlantic RelationsFondation pour la Recherche Stratégique
• Stephen Morrison, CSIS, Washington
• Peter Schraeder, Loyola University, Chicago
• Paul Williams, Elliott School of International Affairs, The George Washington University
• I. William Zartman, Conflict Management and Security, SAIS

Conference Agenda