Toba Owojaiye reporting
Abuja, Nigeria
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and UN Deputy Secretary-General Ms. Amina Mohammed are poised to join a gathering of international experts on good governance next Wednesday in Abuja. The forum, organized by the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library and the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Foundation, is generously supported by the Ford Foundation and Trust Africa.
Truth Live News gathered that the august summit, as stated by the organizers, will serve as a prestigious platform to assess and deliberate on the challenges and opportunities facing democratic governance across the African continent.
Set against a backdrop of notable political transformations, including a recent uptick in military coups, the summit will confront the urgent threats to fragile democratic processes in various African nations.
Featuring a series of engaging discussions, the event will include keynote speeches from Chief Obasanjo and Ms. Mohammed, with Mr. Darren Walker, President of the Ford Foundation, delivering special remarks on the pivotal role of civic engagement in bolstering democratic institutions.
Organizers have outlined an ambitious agenda for the summit, encompassing critical topics such as the achievements and challenges of Africa’s current democratic landscape, the impact of military coups on democratic integrity, and the exploration of alternative democratic models rooted in Africa’s historical and cultural contexts.
Insights from Afrobarometer surveys on citizen sentiments and perceptions of democracy will be incorporated, along with strategies for strengthening democratic resilience against both external and internal threats.
The overarching aim of the summit is to facilitate constructive dialogue among African leaders, policymakers, academics, and civil society representatives, with the objective of deepening understanding of Africa’s democratic state, fostering intercontinental collaboration for sustainable governance, and formulating actionable strategies to address challenges to democracy and governance on the continent.
Organizers anticipate a diverse audience, including government officials, civil society leaders, scholars, and the public, all of whom are stakeholders in shaping the future of democratic governance in Africa.