The Africa Report to launch inaugural debates

The Africa Report, part of Groupe Jeune Afrique, in partnership with the Mo Ibrahim Foundation has announced the launch of its inaugural debates that would bring together African elite to deliberate over policies.

The inaugural debates scheduled to take place on November 20 is expected to provide Africa’s elite with an open forum to discuss ideas and policies with a diverse audience.

President John Dramani Mahama will launch the debate at the Mövenpick hotel in Accra from 1.30pm to 6pm, Alison Kingsley-Hall, a media official said in a statement copied to the Ghana news agency.

The statement said Africa has a unique and vibrant role to play in shaping the key challenges of the century ahead and at the same time, there are many problems to be addressed.

“How can we balance the needs of developing nations with climate change? How will two billion Africans of tomorrow be clothed, fed and employed – and who will reap the benefit?”

The statement said this new series of ‘tough talk’ on developmental issues will provide the proper forum for a no-holds barred contest where no subject is too hot to handle and where we can imagine our future together.

It said Ghana is an ideal country to host the debate as it has experienced a wide range of political systems, including authoritarian, military, transitional civilian and liberal democracy.

The statement said the country has also seen many different economic strategies, such as state-led industrialisation, privatisation and economic restructuring based on natural resource revenues.

“The invited audience will open the debate by taking a public vote on our proposition: This house believes that development should take priority over democracy.

“The debate will then be taken up by our two debate teams, made up of the continent’s brightest talents and sharpest intellects.

The main speakers are as follows are Mo Ibrahim, chairman of Mo Ibrahim foundation; Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia; Dr Carlos Lopes, Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa; Donald Kaberuka, Rwandan economist and former president of the African Development Bank ; Jay Naidoo, Chair, Partnership Council of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and former South African politician; and Professor Audrey Gadzekpo, Journalist and policy expert

The speakers will also be supported by a number of expert witnesses, including Mr Edward Boateng, Chairman of Global Media Alliance; Ms Arancha Gonzalez Laya, Executive Director, International Trade Centre; Clare Short, Chair, Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative; Franklin Cudjoe, Founding President at IMANI Centre for Policy & Education; Gregory Quérel, Chairman, Necotrans; Mr Vincent Guéneau, Chairman, Kappafri and Mamadou Toure, Founder and Chairman, Africa 2.0

The debate will be carried by national broadcasters in the country followed on their website and the Mo Ibrahim Foundation website, which will carry audio and video footage of the debate.

The debate will form part of the Mo Ibrahim Governance Weekend, which takes place from Thursday 19 – Sunday 22 November.

The statement said the event is strictly by invitation.