Second Fletcher Africana Conference to occur this Friday

The second annual Africana Conference at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, titled “Africa on a Global Stage,” will take place this Friday, Feb. 20, running from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The conference, organized by the Fletcher School's Africana Club, aims to understand and explore Africa’s role in the international community. It will feature four different panels, according to Africana Club Co-president Sabina Ndakorerwa. Each panel will have three to four speakers.

The first panel will focus on security and foreign relations, the second on technology and innovation, the third on governance and the fourth on trade and investment, according to the conference’s website.

Ndakorerwa added that each panel will have a moderator. Speakers will introduce their point of view on the subject of the panel, and at the end there will be the opportunity to involve the audience in an open discussion.

According to the conference’s website, the event's keynote speakers include Her Excellency Amina Salum Ali, the African Union ambassador to the United States and Antoinette Monsio Sayeh, the director of the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) African Department. U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Mali, Beth Leonard and Lee E. Dirks Professor of Diplomatic History Alan K. Henrikson, will be making opening remarks.

Most of the speakers were confirmed over winter break, Ndakorerwa explained.

Ndakorerwa said she hopes students who attend the event will gain a greater insight into what is happening on the African continent.

She explained that this event is open to the entire Tufts community and that it will be a good opportunity to have discussion and meet new people with similar interests. She also added that it will provide networking opportunities, which she noted as a good benefit for undergraduate students who attend the conference.

“I want to highlight that this is really a Tufts-wide event,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity to have everyone come together.”