Africa related conferences I spoke at this weekend

This past weekend I had the pleasure of speaking at the Columbia African Economic Forum. I was a panelist on the Law & Development in Sub-Saharan Africa: Globalized Markets & Legal Regimes (http://www.sipa.columbia.edu/aef/law.html) and a moderator for the Post-Conflict Economic Development (http://www.sipa.columbia.edu/aef/post-conflict.html).

I had a great weekend interacting with people in different sectors and brainstorming creative solutions to Africa's problems. Better yet, several people and I got together to start taking action rather than just speaking. I was very inspired by the people I met.

The keynote speakers, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, William Kamkwamba, George Ayittey, were phenomenal. Great job Columbia!

I also spoke at the “Neo-Imperialism” in Post-Independence Africa:
Definitions, Case Studies and Human Impacts at Yale University. I also met some interesting people and learned a lot about different aspects of Neo-Imperialism in Africa. http://www.yale.edu/macmillan/african/Neo-ImperialismSchedule.pdf

I am even more ready than I was before to be of service to Africa.

Presiden Kagame of Rwanda interviewed on HARDtalk

Watch the interview with President Kagame of Rwanda. Some touch questions about Rwanda's role in the Congo are posed. A must see.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/hardtalk/7948535.stm

Is Sudanization of aid Sudan's solution?

After the ICC put out a warrant for Al-Bashir's arrest, the Sudanese government retaliated by expelling foreign aid workers. This seems counterproductive when many aid agencies are not directly involved with lobbying the countries of their origin. Also, aid agencies provide relief for citizens that the government is failing to provide for.

The idea that aid agencies are somehow a threat to the governement or that by expelling them the international community will see where the power in Sudan lies makes no sense. If the government wants more Sudanese to work with aid agencies then the government should enable more Sudanese to get trained in those skills. If the government wants to implement Sudanese solutions to Sudanese problems, that is okay provided that the Sudanese government is fair to all its citizens and protects the human rights of all. Unfortunately that is not the case.

I fear that expelling aid agencies and alienating the international community will for regions like Darfur (other parts of the country are doing much better as a result of the exploitation of oil) result in humanitarian crisis similar to that in Zimbabwe. Did not Zimbabwe start its downward spiral with similar "pro Zimbabwe" sounding slogans? Where did that leave the country? I am in full support of African solutions to African problems, however I believe that diplomacy with the African Union and the rest of the international community is essential. I also think that learning from countries like Zimbabwe will help save many lives, livelihoods and the current stage of development.

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=30201&Cr=darfur&Cr1=

A warrant it out for Al Bashir's arrest

After about a year, the prosecutors in the case finally got a warrant for the arrest of Sudanese president Omar Al Bashir. This is a powerful message that the international community will not sit back as leaders commit or allow crimes against humanity to be commited to their people.

There are several legal issues, including whether or not Al Bashir can be arrested. According to Sudan's law, a head of state has immunity from criminal prosecution during his term. That said, nothing in Sudan's law or international law has recognized immunity for crimes against humanity.

This is definately a case I will continue to follow.

http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGNAU200903049632&lang=e&rss=recentnews

Transitional justice in the Hague

One the one hand, prison sentences were handed to five senior officials in the government of the Milosevic government and on the other hand, former Serb president Milutinovic was acquitted.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/27/world/europe/27hague.html?_r=1&ref=world

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/02/26/world/AP-EU-War-Crimes-Kosovo.html?em

Sierra Leone rebels brought to book

Three rebels found guilty of heinous crimes during the war in Sierra Leone were found finally brought to book. The biggest question is whether people in the future will be deterred from committing such crimes based on the verdict in this and other cases of the Special Court for Sierra Leone.

Also, what next for Charles Taylor?

http://www.abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=6953628

Howard African Business Conference

This weekend I attended the Howard African Business Conference. For only having been the second annual conference, the organizers did a great job. My panel, Entrepreneurship, show cased myself, albeit briefly since I was moderating, Dr. Ajayi, an optometrist from Lagos with great goals of providing quality access eye care to all in need in Lagos and Mr. Phillips, the founder and CEO of Phillips Consulting, a consulting firm based in Nigeria and South Africa. I met lots of interesting people and was once again motivated to do more for Africa.

http://www.howardabc.com/