Yale’s Ian Shapiro to speak at World Economic Forum on Africa 2013

May 6, 2013. New Haven, Conn.—Yale professor Ian Shapiro, an authority on democracy, justice, and methods of social inquiry, will join Malawi’s President Joyce Hilda Banda and African entrepreneur and philanthropist and Mo Ibrahim in a panel discussion at the 23rd World
Economic Forum on Africa (WEFA) in Cape Town, South Africa, May 8–10.
 
It will be a reunion of sorts for Shapiro and Ibrahim, founder of Celtel International, one of Africa’s leading mobile telephone companies, and of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation to improve the quality of governance in Africa. Ibrahim spoke at Yale in April as a guest of the Whitney and Betty MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies, where Shapiro is the Henry R. Luce Director. Ibrahim is also co-chair of WEFA.
 
“Delivering on Africa’s Promise” is the theme of the WEFA, which will provide a platform for regional and global leaders from business, government, and civil society to deepen the continent’s integration agenda and renew commitment to a sustainable path of growth and development. Topics will include accelerating economic diversification, boosting strategic infrastructure, and unlocking Africa’s talent. For details visit: www.weforum.org/events/world-economic-forum-africa-2013
 
Shapiro, Sterling Professor of Political Science, will be a panelist on the “Governance Best Practices” plenary session. In addition to Banda and Ibrahim, the other panelists will be:
• Akere T. Muna , vice chair, Transparency International, Germany
• Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria; co chair, WEFA.
 
The plenary session will focus on sharing best practices, tackling barriers to change, and prioritizing reforms.
 
“I am honored to be representing Yale at this prestigious event. It will be gratifying to work with the other panelists to explore the ways in which African leaders are driving positive change and creating environments for growth,” says Shapiro.
 
live webcast of this session can be viewed on May 9 at 11 a.m. EDT at http://wef.ch/live
 
The World Economic Forum is an independent international organization committed to improving the state of the world by engaging business, political, academic, and other leaders to shape global, regional, and industry agendas. Incorporated as a not- for -profit foundation in 1971 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the Forum does not serve any political, partisan, or national interests.

Contact Information:

Marilyn Wilkes

The Whitney and Betty MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies at Yale

(203) 432-3413

marilyn.wilkes@yale.edu