Mo Ibrahim Foundation to Host Flagship Events in Honor of African Youth

The Mo Ibrahim Foundation has announced that it will host its annual gathering, which pays reverence to African youths who have played a role in combating authoritarian regimes across the continent. The gathering will take place in the Tunisian capital, Tunis, to honor the role that the youth in the Arabic-speaking African nations have played to expel authoritarian regimes in Tunisia and Egypt.  

Established in 2006 the Mo Ibrahim Foundation’s objective is to support good governance and leadership in Africa by providing a platform for debate on good governance, providing criteria by which citizens and governments can measure progress and by recognizing African leadership and supporting aspiring leaders for the African continent.

The gathering consists of a series of events, which run from November 11-13, 2011.  These events include a public concert, which will feature major Tunisian artists and African superstars such as Youssou N’Dour and Angelique Kidjo; there will be a cultural celebration that will honor the role the youth in Tunisia have recently played in the country.

The events also include the annual Ibrahim Discussion Forum; a high-level discussion forum that will allow participants to debate and discuss the African agenda with key members of the African civil society. This year the Discussion Forum will address African Agriculture and will examine the elementary issues of African agriculture, food security and rural development.

Following a discussion with Tunisian Prime Minister Beji Caid el Sebsi, Dr. Mo Ibrahim announced the location and date of the events. “In recognition of its leading role in sparking a movement for greater transparency and accountability by governments, we look forward to convening in Tunisia in November,” Dr. Mo Ibrahim said of the upcoming events. “It will be an opportunity for our continent to pay homage to the young people of Tunisia and also to examine an issue that could either fuel unrest across the continent or drive forward its development.”

According to a press release issued by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, members of the African civil society, the private sector, governments, multilateral and regional institutions, as well as key partners from the international community, will congregate over two days in Tunis for these events.