Press Release
New York, 8 December 2023 – The 2023 United Nations Academic Conference on Africa that brought prominent African scholars and thought leaders to the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 5 to 7 December ignited an open discussion on socio-cultural and economic issues hampering Africa’s development. The conference highlighted solutions that could be harnessed to facilitate Africa-centric policymaking to accelerate the continent’s rise. These scholars outlined the continent’s undeniable potential, firmly grounded in Africa’s demographic dividend and rich cultural heritage, putting the role of strong states, engaged citizens and a level playing academic field as essential ingredients to reclaim Africa’s standing as a global leader.
Nobel Laureate, Playwright, Poet and Activist, Prof. Wole Soyinka, called for “Rearming the University Idea” to re-invigorate Africa’s commitment to education, built on the foundation of the continent’s illustrious academic heritage. The Nobel winner extolled the importance of re-capturing the space of African intellectualism lost during the colonial and post-colonial struggles, leveraging financial support from African philanthropists to rebuild top-tier academic institutions on the continent.
The exchanges during the Conference reaffirmed that a strong state is essential to accelerating Africa’s development. Participants recognized the rise in "ungoverned spaces" occupied by nefarious non-state actors, urging African governments to engage with social justice movements and consider policymaking rooted in equitable governance to reclaim this space. Dr. Awino Okech suggested that the recent "citizen-led contestations of government in Africa, including those [claimed] by the military, [show the derelict] state of the social contract between African governments and their citizens."
For his part, Dr. Kelechi Kalu parallels the "formation of European states out of similar internal contestations," seeing an opportunity to build an Africa based on internal, African requirements rather than external influence. Dr. Matthias Kroenke presented a study proposing a data-driven approach to establishing stronger social contracts between states and their citizens. Kroenke posits that African governments must not only deliver results but also regularly measure the well-being of the communities they serve to maximize the impact of their activities.
Resilience also took centre stage, with participants agreeing that it forms the fabric of African culture and societies. Dr. Zitha Mokomane focused the exchange on "[making] Africans less vulnerable," "de-colonizing" African policymaking and Africanizing education. Dr. Tolbert Nyenswah says, "Political will is needed to create new systems to make Africa less vulnerable," while Dr. Chika Esiobu believes, "Education can take people out of being vulnerable." For his part, Dr. Charles Amo-Agyemang proposed: "Localize resilience and make it democratically controlled, [put it in the hands of the people]."
Echoing earlier suggestions, Esiobu proposed a system that goes beyond the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to measure resilience in the context of African policymaking. She said, "The well-being of [our] people and [our] planet" should be how we assess the impact of our policies, highlighting an approach closer to traditional African value systems. Esiobu added, "For Africa to advance, Africa has to move forward by moving away from [colonial systems]." Amo-Agyemang agreed, suggesting that "Africa needs [its own] space to be able to reimagine, remake and produce African [thought leadership]."
The role of academics in influencing global narratives, fostering cultural context and establishing global agendas for the future was also addressed. Academics were recognized as a vital "issue-based network" committed to disseminating research findings to various stakeholders, including government officials and policymakers. The importance of translating research outcomes into tangible policies for Africa's development was underscored, with participants highlighting academics as key allies in the quest for evidence-based policymaking. Dr. Molefi Kete Asante said the African narrative must be front and centre in academia and policymaking, beginning with the question, "What do Africans think? and what do Africans [say?]"
For her part, Cristina Duarte, Under-Secretary-General and United Nations Special Adviser on Africa, stressed: "Africa is not an empty space or vacuum. It has a wealth of knowledge and cultures that can contribute to its own development. This is where academic research deeply rooted in Africa's reality to inform policymaking comes in." Duarte reiterated her message that building robust country institutions is crucial for Africa to boost transparency, accountability, and good governance and solve the "Triple Paradoxes" hampering the continent’s development: financing, energy and food systems.
The Conference outcomes will be presented to United Nations member states in preparation for the Summit of the Future in 2024, a crucial moment in bringing African leadership to the table towards shaping the future of Africa’s development agenda.
Background
The United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA) and the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) organized the Conference, with generous financial support from the United Nations Peace and Development Trust Fund. Held in a hybrid format under the theme "Redefining African Futures: The State, Resilience, and Pathways to Progress," the conference aimed to mobilize African scholars, academia, and policymakers to contribute insights, accelerate the continent’s progress, elevate Africa’s standing, and influence global perceptions. The event featured panel discussions with Professors Kelechi Kau, Siba Grovogui, Awino Okech, Zachariah Mampilly, Anouar Boukhars, Zitha Mokomane, Charles Agyemang, Dr. Chika Esiobu, Tolbert Nyenswah, Rita Edozie, Molefi Kete Asante, Frieda Ekotto, Toyin Falola, and Dr. Mardia Stone and Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka. Dr. Matthias Kronke, Dr. Cédric Yasser Nzouakeu Nyandjou, Dr. Venance Shillingi, and Ms. Grace Akosua Dankwa presented the results of their research studies.
More information is available on the Conference website, including archived video recording of each sessions and other multimedia materials shared during the conference: /osaa/academic-conference-2023
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Contacts:
United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa:
- Rado Ratovonarivo | ratovonarivo@un.org
- Keolebogile Diswai | keolebogile.diswai@un.org
United Nations Academic Impact:
- Omar Hernandez | omar.hernandez@un.org