№ 41, 2024. The Russian-African Forum of Young IR Professionals on International Security and Development is set to begin on October 1 and will run until October 6

MOSCOW. OCTOBER 1, 2024. PIR-PRESS. «I am delighted to welcome you. This is a unique opportunity for all of us to discuss the most pressing issues of international and regional security constructively, where the keyword is ‘development.’ Another key word is ‘sovereignty’ because only when we are truly independent can we achieve development and progress. We established this Forum to address reality – to have solutions-oriented discussions, not just to list problems. We will be pleased if you share your thoughts and creative ideas on building a sustainable future and securing development for Africa, Russia, Eurasia, and the world. Together, we can build a common vision for more secure development of our nations, regions, and the planet», – said Dr. Vladimir Orlov, Founding Director of PIR Center and Professor at MGIMO University, in his welcoming address to the participants of the 1st Russian-African Forum of Young IR Professionals on International Security and Development.

The Russian-African Forum of Young IR Professionals on International Security and Development, organized by PIR Center in partnership with Rossotrudnichestvo and MGIMO University, will begin on October 1 and run until October 6. The Forum will bring together a diverse group of diplomats, military and government officials, journalists, and representatives of scientific and expert communities from several African countries, including Ethiopia, the Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Tanzania, South Africa, and other sub-Saharan African nations. The Forum will also be attended by students of the Master’s program in International Security, implemented by PIR Center in cooperation with MGIMO.

The Forum will include lectures and workshops on the most promising areas in Russia-Africa relations, including neocolonialism and crisis management in Africa, digital development of sub-Saharan African nations, energy sovereignty and mineral extraction, and cooperation in nuclear energy. Special attention will be given to addressing key international security threats. Additionally, African participants will share their perspectives on global security challenges and propose viable solutions.

The lecturers of the Russian-African Forum of Young IR Professionals on International Security and Development will be leading Russian experts and practitioners. Mikhail Margelov, Head of the UNESCO Department, Institute of Asian and African Studies, Moscow State University. Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for Cooperation with African Countries (2011-2014); Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for Sudan (2008-2011), Member of PIR Center Advisory Board; Vladimir Orlov, Founding Director, PIR Center, Professor, MGIMO University, Head of the MGIMO and PIR Center Master’s Program “International Security,” Editor-in-Chief, Security Index Yearbook Global Edition; Sergey Kostelanetz, Leading Researcher, Head of the Department for Sociological and Political Science Studies, Institute of Africa of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Dmitry Polikanov, Deputy Head, Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo) and others.

The Forum will conclude with an engaging crisis management game, where participants, divided into groups, will actively participate in finding solutions to guide a country out of a crisis. At the end of the event, certificates will be awarded to all participants, while the most active listeners will receive printed copies of the Security Index Yearbook.

Key words: Education; Global Security; Africa

ISMA, AFR

F4/SOR – 24/10/01