The Dialogue of Civilizations Research Institute (DOC) (http://www.DOC-Research.org) is pleased to welcome President of Niger H.E. Mahamadou Issoufou as a keynote speaker of this year’s Rhodes Forum, the DOC’s flagship global affairs conference.

President Issoufou will share an African perspective on issues related to global order, security and economic development with the Rhodes Forum’s audience of more than 300 senior policymakers, diplomats, academics and businesspeople from around the world. He will also participate in the Forum’s Focus on Africa panel to discuss how the continent can become a driver of global development.

Jean-Christophe Bas, CEO of the DOC, said:

“With President Issoufou, the DOC is proud to welcome to Rhodes a major leader of the African continent, and one who was instrumental in the launch of the African Free Trade Zone last July in Niamey. The shape of the future global order, security and development are central themes of this year’s Rhodes Forum, which continues our established focus on Africa and African development.

“In this context, and with Niger set to join the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member in January 2020, President Issoufou’s intervention at the 17th Rhodes Forum will be timely and authoritative. I am sure that the Forum’s high-level and influential audience will all benefit from his insights, and I expect this year’s Rhodes Forum to make a substantive contribution to current debates around Africa’s future as a pillar of the global order and driver of economic growth.”

Previous keynote speakers at Rhodes Forum Africa focus sessions include Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, Prime Minister of Guinea Ibrahima Kassory Fofana and former Malian President Dioncounda Traoré.

The 17th Rhodes Forum – titled "Global (dis)order: Towards dialogue-based worldviews" – takes place on 11-12 October 2019. For more information, please visit https://DOC-Research.org/Forum/.