Sustainable development and the foreign relations of African non-central governments (NCGs)

Date: 3 - 4th July 2019

Venue: British Council, 20 Thompson Ave, Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria.

The symposium/workshop brought together researchers and practitioners from either side of the Global North-South divide to critically explore the international relations of African NCGS and its impact on sustainable development on the continent. Particular attention was focused on the implications of the internationalisation of African NCGs for the nature of socio-economic development and social cohesion in urban areas in Africa.

The four thematic priorities discussed

1. The relationship between the international relations of African NCGs, Agenda 2063, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

2. Corporations as facilitators of the international relations of African NCGs.

3. Constitutional and human right issues arising from the international relations of African NCGs

4. Conflict (broadly conceived) as a facilitator/catalyst for the international relations of African NCGs

Over the two days, an interdisciplinary network – the African Paradiplomacy Network (APN) was created to facilitate and strengthen research-collaborations among the participants, and promote De Montfort University’s research focus on sustainable development in the context of African non-central governments, along with the broad themes identified above.

Building on the thematic areas identified above, there were both panel sessions (day one) and academic presentations (day two).

Panel Sessions - Day one

Panel	Topic	Moderator	Panel discussants
Panel one	Sustainable development and the international relations of African NCGs	Dr Rhuks Ako (African Union)	Dr Fritz Nganje (University of Johannesburg); Mr Nicholas Uwadia (National Centre for Energy and Environment, Edo State, Nigeria), Mr Yannick Oloumou (University of Johannesburg); Dr Ese Stephen Owie (The Centre for International Trade & Policy (CITaP), Geneva, Switzerland); Prof Adebayo Ajala (Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research).
Panel two	Corporations and the international relations of African NCGs	Prof Bisi Akinkugbe (University of Dalhousie)	Dr Simi Akintoye (De Montfort University); Dr Dara Akanmidu (De Montfort University); Prof Vincent Akpotaire (Western-Delta University); Mr Nosa Osazuwa Senior Consultant (Advisory Legal Consultants); Mr Ifeanyi Aniyie (University of Pretoria)
Panel three	Constitutional and human rights issues and the international relations of African NCGs	Dr Laura Enonchong (De Montfort University)	Mrs Bamidele Olusola (Nigerian Human Rights Commission); Dr Matt Nwankwo (University of Nigeria); Ms Sarah Wanja (University of Nairobi); Mrs Nneamaka Jennifer Omo (Nigerian Human Rights Commission); Dr Oladeji Abubakar (Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research).
Panel four	Conflict and the international relations of African NCGs	Dr Ohio Omiunu (De Montfort University)	Dr Bob Wekesa (University of Witwatersrand); Dr Western Shilaho (University of Johannesburg); Dr Conrad Nyamutata (De Montfort University); Dr Rhuks Ako (African Union); Ms Mary Okori (Search for Common Ground Nigeria, Abuja)

Workshop - Day two

Academic presentations on contemporary expressions of the foreign relations of NCGs in Africa.

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Foreign relations of Nigerian NCGs

Paper	Topic	Discussants
Paper one	Situating non-central government foreign revenue mobilisation within the African Union’s Agenda 2063: A case study of Nigeria	Aniyie Ifeanyi
Paper two	Federalism, sub-national structures and development: should the leviathan be tamed in Nigeria?	Chidebe Matthew Nwankwo
Paper three	Contemporary expressions of the foreign relations of the sub-national governments in water resources management in Nigeria.	Pedi Obani and Vincent O. Akpotaire
Paper four	An emerging framework of inter-communal alliance among sub-national governments countering violent extremism in the Lake Chad Basin.	Mary Okori and Ohio Omiunu
Paper five	The relationship between the international relations of African NCGs, Agenda 2063, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)	Adebayo O. Ajala and Abubakar Oladeji

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Foreign relations of Kenyan NCGs

Paper	Topic	Discussants
Paper one	Sub-state diplomacy and emerging challenges in the implementation of Kenya’s foreign policy	Sarah Wanja
Paper two	The diplomacy of the Nairobi City County Government: emerging practices, potential, and negotiation in the Kenyan foreign policy context	Bob Wekesa
Paper three	Kenya’s county governments: The centre as an impediment to devolution	Westen K Shilaho

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Foreign relations of South African NCGS

Paper	Topic	Discussants
Paper one	African Agency in Global City Networks: A case study of the Johannesburg city council	Fritz Nganje

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Foreign relations of Francophone NCGs in Africa

Paper	Topic	Discussants
Paper one	Decentralised cooperation between France and francophone Africa: localising sustainable development or pursuing the vision of Françafrique?	Fritz Nganje and Yannick Oloumou

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