Africa at the Crossroads Again: Converting Promise into Reality Following the 2005 G8 Agreements

Sir Emyr Jones Parry, Britain’s Ambassador to the United Nations, discusses the G8 Agreements and the status of the plans and policies. Professor Edmond Keller, Director of the Globalization Research Center-Africa (sponsoring department) will provide the introduction.

Monday, May 01, 2006
2:30 PM - 4:00 PM
California Room
UCLA Faculty Center
480 Charles Young Dr. (enter Hilgard Ave. & Westholme)
Los Angeles, CA 90095

• 2:30 PM Reception
• 3:00 PM Lecture

Prime Minister Tony Blair, using Britain’s presidency of the G8, ensured that Africa was near the top of the international policy priority list at the G8 summit last year. The report of Blair's Commission for Africa identified the key issues: water, sanitation and infrastructure; poverty and education; economic development and enhanced market access through trade; HIV/AIDS; Darfur and genocide; and good governance with transparent accountability. The importance of supporting constructive Africa-based solutions was emphasized, for example through the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD). Subsequently at the Gleneagles G8 Summit in Scotland, members made significant financial commitments to provide increased resources for Africa.

The central question now, almost nine months later, is the extent to which these laudable pledges have been converted into reality, and how momentum can be sustained. How can U.N. reform help in meeting the U.N.'s Millennium Development Goals for Africa? What architecture is needed to promote conflict resolution, for example in Darfur? Britain's Ambassador to the United Nations, Sir Emyr Jones Parry, will address these questions. An expert panel of Consular representatives from African nations will be on hand to respond to his remarks.

Sir Emyr has been UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations since July 2003, after serving in a similar role at NATO in Brussels. He was Political Director of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 1998-2001 and European Union Director from 1997-1998. A multilateralist, Sir Emyr believes that the UN is the indispensable global organization helping to tackle the problems of a globalizing world, issues which recognize no borders and which nation states cannot tackle alone - disease, poverty, degradation of the environment, terror, WMD, humanitarian relief, human rights and human displacement, and illegal drugs. The UK Mission is working to ensure that the UN and its Agencies remain in the forefront of efforts to improve human security. Sir Emyr was born in Wales and studied Theoretical Physics at University College Cardiff.

**Free copies of the Report of the Commission for Africa as long as they last!

Special Instructions

Free and open to the public; FREE PARKING with RSVP to 310-825-3686; call to make reservation for free parking. RSVP not required for event, only for free parking; otherwise, parking is available for $8. If you do not RSVP for parking, UCLA will charge you $8 to park.

For more information please contact:

James S. ColemanAfrican Studies Center

africa@international.ucla.edu

www.international.ucla.edu/africa

Sponsor(s): African Studies Center, Center for European and Russian Studies, Globalization Research Center - Africa, School of Public Affairs, The British Consulate General