What will the Pact for the Future mean for Africa?

This seminar explores how Africa can leverage the pact's outcomes and decisions to address continental challenges.

Date: 2024-09-27

Time: 16:00 to 18:00

Venue: Africa House, AU Permanent Observer Mission, NY

The Pact for the Future has been negotiated by UN member states for adoption at the upcoming Summit of the Future from 22-23 September. The pact addresses Africa’s wide-ranging pressing needs and aspirations, including international peace and security, sustainable development and financing, youth and future generations, science, technology innovation, the global digital compact and global governance.

The continent’s leaders and policy makers must stay abreast of what the Pact for the Future means for Africa’s efforts to address security and development challenges and how its key commitments can be implemented.

This event is co-hosted by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and the United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA).

Simultaneous English-French interpretation will be provided for this event.

This event will be held at the Africa House, AU Permanent Observer Mission, New York, from 10h00 – 12h00 (EDT).

Moderator: Dr Andrews Atta-Asamoah, Head, Africa Peace and Security Governance programme, ISS

Welcome: Jean-Paul Adam, Director, Policy Monitoring and Advocacy, OSAA

Opening remarks:

• Cristina Duarte, UN Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser on Africa
• Dr Paul-Simon Handy, Regional Director for East Africa and Representative to the AU, ISS

Panelists:

• Amb Neville Gertze, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Namibia to the UN and Co-Facilitator, Summit of the Future (TBC)
• Amb Michael Imran Kanu, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone to the UN (TBC)
• Amb Bankole Adeoye, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, African Union Commission
• Elizabeth Mary Spehar, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support, Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, UN (TBC)
• Prof Cedric de Coning, Research Professor, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs and Senior Adviser, ACCORD
• Juliet Wasswa-Mugambwa, Senior Programme Management Officer, OSAA