Events

OCP Policy Center, Rabat

While the first months of 2017 in Morocco were characterized by the country’s historic diplomatic feat in re-joining the African Union, and its positive willingness of integrating the Economic Community of Western African States (ECOWAS), it is safe to say that the atmosphere was quite different in the Northern hemisphere. For both the European Union and the US, 2016 has proven to be a grim year, particularly in light of the populist wave that swept through the West. This has led the UK to opt for Brexit, a situation that has come as a surprise to the international community, and Americans to vote for a businessman as their 45^th president. Donald J. Trump, the said businessman, has no previous political experience, and ran a controversial campaign that places protectionism at the heart of his economic strategy. This, in conjunction with the general leitmotif of making America great again, will make for a dangerous rollercoaster ride in the land of uncertainty.

London, United Kingdom

While Europe is struggling with one of its worst migrant crisis in modern times, government officials, policy-makers, and the international community are increasingly urged to look at other strategies to tackle this increasingly pressing humanitarian and security dilemma. Controversial methods of closing down the borders and deporting illegal enterers are just not enough to deal with the reality of the push factors that represent the true motives behind these migration flows. With development, stability and security increasingly seen as being interconnected, this conference series will explore the economic, political and security challenges to Africa and ask whether it is time for Europe and the UK following the Brexit, to treat Africa as more than simply a security issue to be managed.

Context

Defining power is complex and ambiguous but understanding its elements and implications on national and foreign policies remains central to the study of international relations. Both ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ powers are employed to pursue political and strategic goals through military, economic, diplomatic and others ways of conquering hearts and minds, to create convincing incentives and exercise influence. 

Université Mohammed V, Rabat

OCP Policy Center, en collaboration avec l’Université Mohamed V de Rabat, l’Institut des Etudes Africaines de l’Université de Nanjing (Chine), l’Institut des Etudes Euro-Africaines de l’Université de Hanyang (Corée du Sud) et l’Institut Maiji des Etudes Globales de l’Université de Meiji (Japon), l’Institut Confucius à Rabat, et le Centre Africain des Etudes Asiatiques, organisent la 1^ère édition de la conférence internationale conjointe sur la coopération afro-asiatique, qui se tiendra le 19 et 20 décembre 2016 à l’Université Mohamed V de Rabat.