U.Va. Conference to Examine Prospects for Democracy in Africa

April 28, 2009 — Wars. Famine. AIDS. Lawlessness.

Can democracy stabilize Africa?

The University of Virginia's Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and U.Va.'s Miller Center of Public Affairs will host a conference, "Good Governance in Africa: Critical Factors affecting Successful Democratization," on Thursday, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., in Alumni Hall.

Jendayi Frazer, former U.S. assistant secretary of state for African affairs and former U.S. ambassador to South Africa, will give the keynote address at 9:30 a.m.

The conference is co-sponsored by the Miller Center, the Office for Diversity and Equity, the Ron Brown Scholar Program, Constituency for Africa, Leadership Africa USA and the Ralph Bunche Society.

The conference schedule:

9:30-10:30 a.m.: Opening session

• Welcome: David Breneman, director, Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy
• Keynote address: Jendayi Frazer, former U.S. assistant secretary of state for African affairs and former U.S. ambassador to South Africa

10:40-11:40 a.m.: The State of Democracy in Africa

• Discussion led by Jendayi Frazer

11:45 a.m.-12:25 p.m. Video: "Migration of Beauty"

• Clip presented by documentary filmmaker Chris Flaherty

12:30-1:30 p.m. Lunch

1:40-2:55 Panel discussion: Challenges to Democratic Stability — Health and Economic Security
• Moderator: Dr. Rebecca Dillingham, U.Va. Center for Global Health
• Dr. Chinua Akukwe, professor of global health, George Washington University
• Charlotte McClain-Nhlapo, World Bank; former member; South Africa Human Rights Commission
• Gail Spence, senior alliance advisor, U.S. Agency for International Development, Office of Global Development
• Respondent: Gregory Simpkins, vice president for policy and program development, Leon H. Sullivan Foundation

Break

3:10-4:25 p.m. Panel discussion: Good Governance in Africa — NGOs and Future Leaders

• Chair: Robert Fatton, politics professor, U.Va.
• Christopher Fomunyoh, senior associate and regional director, Central and West Africa Programs, National Democratic Institute
• Dave Peterson, senior director, Africa Program, National Endowment for Democracy
• Amanda Alexander, doctoral student in international and global history and African history, Columbia University

4:25-4:45 p.m. Lessons Learned
• Melvin Foote, Constituency for Africa
• Student representatives

4:45-5p.m. Concluding Remarks

— By Dan Heuchert



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