Positioning Africa in Global Power Hierarchies

Global African Public Square Open Debate

Topic: Positioning Africa in Global Power Hierarchies

The African Leadership Centre (ALC) invites you to join us at the inaugural event of this year’s King’s Africa Week – A Global African Public Square (APS). This event is an open debate featuring a keynote address with contributions from a distinguished panel of diplomats, academics, and policy practitioners.  

This event is hosted by the African Leadership Centre in partnership with the African Diplomatic community.

Opening Session:

This opening event will start with a Keynote by Dr Naledi Pandor followed by an open debate to critically discuss how Africa can exercise greater agency in disrupting the distances created by global power hierarchies and what forms of leadership will disrupt the growing distances between nations, institutions and the people they are supposed to serve, to navigate disrupting dissonances.

The questions at the core of this APS Open Debate are:

• Does the UN Pact for the Future offer any opportunities for repositioning Africa’s place in the world?
• How should Africa negotiate permanency on the UN Security Council? 

Moderators:

Professor Funmi Olonisakin, FKC

Professor ’Funmi Olonisakin is Vice-President International, Engagement and Service (IES) at King’s College London. She is also Professor of Security, Leadership, and Development at the African Leadership Centre in the School of Global Affairs at King’s.

HE Ambassador Manoa Esipisu, EBS

Amb. Manoah Esipisu, EBS is a Visiting Professor at the African Leadership Centre, King’s College London.

Keynote speaker:

Dr Naledi Pandor

Dr Pandor is South Africa’s former Minister of International Relations and Cooperation from 2019-2024. She was part of the ministerial team of the cabinet of South Africa that initiated the genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. Dr Pandor was appointed the new Chair of the Nelson Mandela Foundation from 1 October 2024. Dr Pandor will be the third person to hold the position since Nelson Mandela established the organisation in 1999.

Dr Pandor became an MP in 1994 and has amassed impressive experience in positions of public office, including Deputy chief whip of the ANC in the National Assembly from 1995 to 1998, served as the Deputy chairperson of the National Council of Provinces in 1998, and its chairperson from 1999-2004.

Dr Pandor’s experience in education policy planning made her a welcome appointment as South Africa’s Minister of Education in 2004. She has been a member of cabinet ever since, and has served her country in the following portfolios:

• Minister of Higher Education and Training (2018-19),
• Minister of Science and Technology (2014-2018),
• Minister of Home Affairs (2012-2014),
• Minister of Science and Technology (2009-2012), and
• Minister of Education (2004-2009).

Dr Pandor has a PhD from the University of Pretoria and honorary doctorates from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, University of Stellenbosch, and the University of Lisbon (Portugal) and the University College Dublin in Ireland.

*Participants can register to attend in-person or online. A link to join the online webinar will be emailed to participants upon registering and a link to register for the APS platform for engagements.