The 2012 Ibrahim Forum, scheduled to take place in Dakar, Senegal, from 9 -11 November will focus on youth and highlight the opportunities presented by Africa’s rapidly growing population of young people.
Announcing the theme and venue of the gathering ahead of the United Nations’ International Youth Day on Sunday, the Mo Ibrahim Foundation said today that the forum will bring together leading figures from across the continent and beyond, to determine how best to engage Africa’s most valuable resource - its youth.
Members of African civil society, the private sector, governments, multilateral and regional institutions, key partners from the international community and a range of young Africans engaged in innovative and inspiring work will gather in Dakar for the 3-day event.
Commenting on the Forum, Dr Mo Ibrahim, founder and chair of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation said, “We have chosen this year’s topic in recognition of the great potential of African youth and the role they played in the transformative political events of last year, and must continue to play if we are to collectively realise our potential. We hope the forum can play a role in ensuring that the aspirations of our youth are met.”
“The forum has become a key annual event that gathers a range of influential partners” he continued.
“We are delighted to be able to convene this group with the addition this year of a diverse array of informed and inspired young people. I am excited by this opportunity to work with, and listen to, the next generation of African leadership.”
The forum will form the central part of the foundation’s annual Governance Weekend which also features a public event and cultural celebration. The events in Dakar will follow the release of the 2012 Ibrahim Index of African Governance and the announcement of the 2012 Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership – taking place on 15 October.
About the Mo Ibrahim Foundation
Established in 2006, the Mo Ibrahim Foundation supports good governance and great leadership in Africa. The Foundation works to:
• Provide a framework and tools by which citizens and governments can assess and measure progress in governance
• Recognise excellence in African leadership and provide a practical way in which leaders can build positive legacies on the continent when they have left national office
• Stimulate debate on the quality of governance and major governance issues in Africa
• Develop leadership and governance capacity in Africa
These aims are achieved through the foundation’s four major programme areas: the Ibrahim Index of African Governance; the Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership; the Ibrahim Forum; and Capacity Building Programmes (including the Ibrahim Scholarships and the Ibrahim Leadership Fellowships).