Day 1 — Monday, 28 September 2009

Over 300 people gathered in U Thant Hall at UNU Headquarters in Tokyo on Monday, 28 September, for day 1 of the 2009 UNU/UNESCO international conference on “Africa and Globalization: Learning from the Past, Enabling a Better Future”. Japanese government representatives Tetsuro Fukuyama (MOFA), and Masaharu Nakagawa (MEXT) offered opening remarks, highlighting Japan’s continued engagement in the region. Remarks by conference co-organizer representatives, Director General Koïchiro Matsuura (UNESCO) and Rector Konrad Osterwalder (UNU), followed.

Conference participants at the conclusion of the 2009 UNU/UNESCO international conference. Photo: Jeremy Hedley/UNU.

The first session sought to chart the future of Africa based on lessons from post-colonial experiences. Former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo (Nigeria), John Kufuor (Ghana), Alpha Konaré (Mali), Sam Nujoma (Namibia), and António Eanes (Portugal) assessed the dimensions of globalization from a leader’s perspective. Critical issues outlined in this session included leadership and governance, African unity, development strategies, and the importance of history in addressing globalization’s impact on Africa.

The second session focused on how to put vision into practice. Chaired by Waseda University’s Sadaharu Kataoka, distinguished African experts Mongi Bousnina, N’Dri Assié Lumumba, Augustin Fosu, Dominique Malaquais, and Jinichi Matsumoto touched on both the positive and negative aspects of globalization. The speakers discussed the significance of research and development in constructing knowledge societies, the public mission of higher education, growth collapse of economies, and concrete examples of innovation at the micro-social and micro-economic levels.

The final session brought leaders and experts together for an open exchange of ideas. Participants engaged in frank assessments of the coalition between leadership and scholarship, fundamentalism, shared African values, and the growing presence of China in Africa. Rector Osterwalder closed the day in positive terms, expressing his optimism for Africa’s ability to tackle its challenges.

Day 2 — Tuesday, 29 September 2009

On the second day, the first session’s panel, chaired by Goolam Mohamedbhai, focused on the interplay between governance and leadership and the levels of government, society, and community. Clement Adibe, Ernest Aryeetey, Yasushi Katsuma, and Obijiofor Aginam spoke of the roots of instability in Africa, institutions and information technologies, human security, and the complex relationship between governance, public health and resource conflicts.

Interventions followed, as commentators John Kufuor, Alpha Konaré, and Akilagpa Sawyerr engaged the speakers’ arguments. The dialogue carried into the audience during a lively question and answer session before the session’s conclusion, which addressed among other issues, the possible disconnect between decision makers and academics.

UNU Vice-Rector Kazuhiko Takeuchi chaired the final session of the conference which explored sustainable development in Africa. Lidia Brito, George Hara, and Tatsuo Hayashi presented powerful data and imagery that took on issues of empowerment through education, sustainable business models in Africa, and poverty.

Rishab Ghosh, N’Dri Assié-Lumumba, Clement Adibe, and Olusegun Obasanjo offered their critique of the presentations, elaborating from their own unique perspectives on IT in Africa, the tradition of knowledge, leadership, and the beauty and necessity of human diversity.

Closing statements were made by Hans d’Orville (UNESCO) and Egyptian ambassador Walid Abdelnasser. D’Orville touched on the many salient issues set forth in the conference, outlining key and soft drivers for success in building a future of and for Africa. Abdelnasser continued, underscoring the congruence of the presentations with UNU’s activities in Africa. His reflections on a wide range of issues including science, education, and technology linkages, human security, and expansion of the G-20 configuration, offered a comprehensive conclusion to these two days of high-level dialogue on the challenges and opportunities of globalization in Africa.

• For more information, including the programme and participation profiles, see the conference website.
• Webcasts of the conference sessions can be viewed on the UNU video portal.