African Integration Within the Imperatives of Neo-Liberal Globalism, Multipolarity and the African Union Agenda 2063: Can it be Feasible?

AGENDA 2063 is Africa’s blueprint and master plan for transforming Africa into the global powerhouse of the future. It is the continent’s strategic framework that aims to deliver on its goal for inclusive and sustainable development and is a concrete manifestation of the pan-African drive for unity, self-determination, freedom, progress and collective prosperity pursued under Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance.

https://au.int/en/agenda2063/overview

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IAD Spring 2025 Seminar Series:

In the 1960s and 1970s, in response to holdouts of colonial power in southern and Portuguese Africa, self-described African national liberation movements took form. These organizations engaged in military and diplomatic efforts to achieve independence, usually with the goal of seizing state power. These groups were surprisingly successful at mobilizing western support, especially from civil society organizations ranging from moderate to militant left groups. Supporters organized American speaking tours for liberation movement representatives; for example, in 1973, Cape Verdean guerrilla leader Amilcar Cabral spoke at Syracuse University. Supporters also channeled aid money to development projects run by the liberation movements. This talk will explore the methods of connection with African liberation movements, looking at how they worked together to attract western support, and what that support entailed. This paper will argue that this period constituted a unique moment of political, intellectual, and strategic connection between a small set of African political formations and an equally small set of western formations. It therefore sheds new light on the history of aid and development politics.

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This presentation summarizes a new book analyzing the history of food security and agricultural development initiatives in post-colonial Africa and outlining a vision for future prosperity. The basic argument has three parts. First, development organizations and governments will only begin to seriously address food insecurity in Africa when they more fully question the assumption that production agriculture is the solution, an idea that is central to crop science or agronomy. Second, agricultural development must be seen as more than the first step in an industrial development process, but as a sustainable livelihood that has value in and of itself. Third, an agroecological approach, combined with good governance, will allow people to have greater control over their food systems, produce healthy food more sustainably, and enhance access to food by the poorest of the poor. Following a broad conceptual introduction emphasizing political agronomy and political ecology, the author reviews past food security and agricultural development experiences in four countries where he has undertaken research: Mali, Burkina Faso, South Africa and Botswana. He then examines successful efforts in each of the aforementioned countries and outlines future directions that emphasize agroecology, the application of ecological principles to agricultural systems. He concludes with some ideas about institutions at the national, regional and international levels. To build more resilient food systems and a different kind of development, new institutions will need to emerge that support agroecology and vibrant rurality.

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In this presentation, I discuss how street traders’ associations in Harare (Zimbabwe) mobilize and organize to defend the interests of traders operating in a politically volatile and contested urban environment. I demonstrate how external political dynamics, and institutional constraints shape the strategies and outcomes of these associations. Drawing on qualitative research, including interviews with municipal officials, civil society leaders and focus groups with street traders, the findings reveal that while some associations engage in episodic activism, responding to immediate crises like harassment or eviction, their efforts often lack sustained impact. This is due to challenges in maintaining legitimacy, fostering long-term member engagement, and navigating a politically polarized context. I argue that despite their actions leading to incremental gains, they fail to catalyze structural changes in urban policy and planning. The fragmentation and political polarization within the associations weaken their bargaining power to influence policy agendas or propose alternative policies for negotiation with urban authorities.

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Becoming 'Unlawful': Homeownership, housing bureaucracy, and the production of precarity in Eastridge, Cape Town, South Africa

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The recent U.S. election is likely to have significant impacts on immigration policy and practices. Based on experience with the previous Trump administration and standing efforts among Republicans in Congress, these changes may impact Cornell students, staff, and faculty. Join Cornell’s Migrations Program in a conversation about the current state of immigration policy.

This is a virtual-only meeting open to Cornell faculty, staff, and students. Registration is required.

Panelists

Shannon Gleeson, School of Industrial and Labor Relations and Brooks School of Public PolicyLaura Taylor, Director of International ServicesStephen Yale-Loehr, Cornell Law SchoolModerator

Wendy Wolford, Vice Provost for International Affairs and Robert A. and Ruth E. Polson Professor of Global Development in the College of Agriculture and Life SciencesHost and Sponsors

The Migrations Program, part of the Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies, builds upon the work of Migrations: A Global Grand Challenge to inform real-world policies and outcomes for populations that migrate.