The conference will discuss political and economic processes and the power relations which surround regional responses to security dynamics in sub-Saharan Africa.  The central question the conference will explore is: what kind of regional responses have emerged to address current security crises, and what local, national, and regional factors have conditioned these responses? It will look at three areas that pose important regional security challenges today: the Great Lakes region, Lake Chad Basin and South Sudan.

Programme

9.15 Welcome by Amb. Marc Otte, Director-General Egmont Institute

9.30 – 11.00 Panel 1: Great Lakes

Judith Verweijen (Nordic Africa Institute/Conflict Research Group)

Hans Hoebeke (International Crisis Group)

Chair: Koen Vlassenroot (Egmont Institute/University of Ghent)

Coffee Break

11.15 – 13.00 Panel 2: Lake Chad Basin

Céleste Hicks (Independent journalist)

Roland Marchal (CERI, Sciences Po Paris)

Chair: Valerie Arnould (Egmont Institute/University of East London)

13.00 – 14.00 Lunch Break

14.00 – 15.30 Panel 3: South Sudan

Berouk Mesfin (Institute for Security Studies)

Aly Verjee (Rift Valley Institute)

Chair: Jort Hemmer (Clingendael Institute)

Coffee break

15.45 – 17.15 Panel 4: Comparative Conclusions

Stephanie Wolters (Institute for Security Studies)

Annette Weber (German Institute for International and Security Affairs)

Axel Klein (Royal United Services Institute) tbc

Chair: Paul-Simon Handy (Regional Expert at United Nations Security Council Panel of Experts on the CAR)

17.15-17.30 Concluding remarks by Paul-Simon Handy (Regional Expert at United Nations Security Council Panel of Experts on the CAR)

(Photo credit: hdptcar, Flickr)