Bridging the Leadership Gaps to Tackle the Major Challenges Africa Faces

Описівенту

This conference is a follow up to the US launching conference, which was held on May 29th, 2019. We decided to hold the first consultative conference as part of launching the Initiative on the soil of Africa- Addis Ababa, the capital city of African Union, on Wednesday, July 17th, 2019 at Addis Ababa University (AAU). To read more about the May 29th, 2017 launching conference, click here...

The keynote speaker is H.E. Dr.-Eng. Getahun Mekuria Kuma, Minister of Innovation and Technology. We anticipate the participation of high-level government officials, youth and women leaders; diaspora returnees; representatives of those relevant institutions in Addis that serve the youth, women, and the diaspora communities; diplomats as the guest of honors; representatives from universities, international organizations, development agencies, private foundations, and so on. Below are the core elements of the program of the upcoming conference in Addis:

Brief opening remarks by the guest of honors (Elected officials, diplomats, VIPs, Major sponsor);
A keynote (s);
Presentation about the Initiative and May 29th resolutions;
Panel discussion focusing on the three pillars to bridge the leadership gaps;
Success stories of a diaspora returnee, a woman and a youth leader;
Consultative discussion among strategic partners concerning next steps and future projects.

For your info, founded in 2009, PRO Leadership Global is a tax-exempt 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization based in Maryland, USA. PRO Leadership PROmotes leadership, PROduces leaders to bridge the leadership gaps (Geographic, Gender, and Generational leadership gaps) to tackle the major ills of the world one community at a time.

Goal

The main goal of this follow up conference in Addis is to bring key stakeholders together and brainstorm on how to bridge the 3G (Geographic, Gender, and Generational) leadership gaps in Africa to overcome the challenges the continent faces starting from Ethiopia, the seat of AU.

Objectives

The conference is designed to achieve the following specific objectives:

To share the resolutions of May 29th conference in the US
To discuss the importance of raising competent leaders for the transformation of Ethiopia in particular and Africa at large
To examine the challenges Ethiopian youth and women are facing that prevent them from taking leadership initiatives to serve their respective community
To brainstorm on how to equip and empower youth and women leaders
To recognize the crucial roles the diaspora may play to contribute its share in bridging the gaps by transferring the leadership lessons they gained from their respective hosting countries
To brainstorm some of the ways strategic partners should work together to begin bridging the leadership gaps in Africa starting from Ethiopia

Outcomes

It is our hope that the remarks by the keynote speakers and other speakers will increase the awareness of participants about the critical role leadership could play to tackle the major challenges Africa at large, Ethiopia in particular face. We also anticipate the following main outcomes at the end of each conference:

Identification of the most common unique challenges the youth and women leaders in Ethiopia are facing and the corresponding actions that should be taken
Recognition of crucial contributions of diaspora returnees on the ground and other diaspora members in contextualizing the leadership lessons they gained into Africa’s culture
Clarity among key stakeholders on who plays what roles Formation of partnership with some of our strategic partners to immediately begin implementing the initiative small scale

Target Audience

We anticipate the dynamic participation of many Ethiopian youth and women leaders, and diaspora returnees. We also believe that many youth and women leaders from other African countries, some Ethiopian Ministers, Diplomats, leaders of Non-Governmental Organizations, Private Foundations, UN Agencies, and other Multinational and Regional Development Institutions that are fighting poverty, conflict, diseases, unemployment of the youth, and gender inequality in Africa will join us. We also expect the active engagement of top leaders from some universities, organizations that serve the youth, women, and the diaspora community. Though the conference is going to be held in Ethiopia, we believe that many leaders from other African countries will join us to participate as strategic partners.

Tentative Program for the July conference in Addis

Below is the tentative program of the conference:

1:00 – 2:00: Registration and Networking

Come and network with likeminded leaders

2:00 – 2:05: Welcoming

Master of Ceremonies, Meti Shewaye Yilma

2: 05 – 2: 15: Opening remark (President of AAU, Prof. Tassew WoldeHanna)

2: 15 – 2: 35: Remarks by Guest of Honors

Guest of Honor 1
Guest of Honor 2
Guest of Honor 3
Guest of Honor 4

2:35 – 3:05: Keynote Speaker (H.E. Dr.-Eng. Getahun Mekuria Kuma)

Theme: The significant place and roles of leadership to transform Ethiopia

3:05 – 3:20: Briefing on the Initiative and May 29th resolutions

Dr. Assegid Habtewold, Founder of PRO Leadership Global Inc.

3:20 – 3:35: Break and Refreshment

3:35 – 3:50: Dr. Eyob Mamo on ‘The Leadership Qualities Needed to Transform Africa’

3: 50 – 4: 35: Panel Discussion*

Moderator
Panelist 1 focuses on Bridging the Geographic Gap- the roles of the diaspora
Panelist 2 focuses on Bridging the Gender Gap
Panelist 3 focuses on Bridging the Generational Gap
Q&A

4:35 – 5:35: Consultation among stakeholders on the next steps and future projects

African diaspora community organizations, youth, and women associations
Multinational organizations that are working to alleviate poverty, resolve conflict, fight inequality, youth unemployment, and so on
Private foundations that are active in Africa to contribute their share for sustainable development
Universities and colleges that have leadership and management schools, and African studies

5:35 – 5:55: Ethiopian Leaders Success Stories