'Leading Like Mandela'leadership Development Programme
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CONCEPT NOTE ‘LEADING LIKE MANDELA’LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME AFRICAN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT VALUES-BASED AND TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP 30 NOVEMBER 2018 “I never lose. I either win or I learn!” Table of Contents I. Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 2 II. Background and Context ........................................................................................................ 3 i. The African Context ................................................................................................................ 3 ii. The Global Context ................................................................................................................. 4 iii. Leadership towards achieving Regional and Global Goals .................................................. 5 III. Leading Like Mandela ........................................................................................................... 6 i. Objective ................................................................................................................................. 6 ii. Implementation ....................................................................................................................... 7 iii. Content ................................................................................................................................... 8 IV. African Leadership Summit – 30 November 2018 ............................................................... 8 i. The African Leadership Summit ............................................................................................. 8 ii. Programme ............................................................................................................................. 9 V. Expected Outcomes of the African Leadership Summit ..................................................... 10 VI. Implementing Entity and Strategic Partners ....................................................................... 10 Leading Like Mandela Leadership Development Programme 1 I. Introduction Over the past decades, African leadership has undergone major transformations. The African continent has witnessed a wide range of leaders ascend to power ranging from Pan-Africanist thinkers; liberators; military dictators; and one party state leaders. For some African leaders, their nations were treated as their private property, others were assassinated or were disposed of by military coups, and yet others refused to leave office voluntarily. Post-independence, some African leaders came to their position unprepared and with limited governance experience. Poor governance became the major challenge and source of Africa’s socio- economic crisis. However, in recent years the continent has experienced robust economic and social transformation, and democracy is steadily taking root under the banner and narrative of “Africa Rising”. Moreover, an increasing number of countries have seen peaceful transitions of power through multiparty elections. However, Africa remains the continent with the highest poverty levels and underdevelopment. In some circles it is claimed that the fundamental problem affecting development in Africa is actually the “poverty” of leadership. Accordingly, there is a need to develop a new generation of leaders who are responsible and well-educated. Leaders who are endowed with courage, integrity and determination to transform Africa’s future. Africa’s rise would not have been possible without Africa’s visionary Leaders who were “When the missionaries arrived, the Africans had the land and instrumental in defining a path towards the missionaries had the Bible. They taught us how to pray progress at a particular time, and mobilised with our eyes closed. When we opened them, they had the land and we had the Bible.” – Jomo Kenyatta and influenced the peoples of the continent towards freedom from want, to self-reliance “Our contribution has to be given not only for the liquidation and self-determination. They all achieved this of the colonial system but also for the liquidation of ignorance, in the face of adversity. These African disease and primitive forms of social organization.” A. Neto visionaries include Patrice Lumumba, Haile “I am not African because I was born in Africa but because Selassie, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Julius Africa was born in me.” Kwame Nkrumah Nyerere, Jomo Kenyatta, Thomas Sankara, Agostinho Neto, Kenneth Kaunda, to name a “African nationalism is meaningless, dangerous, few. They claimed ownership of the African anachronistic, if it is not, at the same time, pan-Africanism.” – governance agenda. They were selfless, and Julius Nyerere had leadership qualities that inspired not only future leaders but also turned the tide towards a more positive trend for development of the continent. Nelson Mandela represents a model of leadership excellence. He was driven by, humility, selflessness, and service, a foundation which he used to shape a united, politically viable and sustainable state in post-Apartheid South Africa. He advocated and pursued an agenda of inclusion, tolerance and respect of all in the efforts for growth, development, and poverty reduction. His life was inspirational and influenced many both inside and outside South Africa. Mandela’s name has become synonymous with peacemaking. Leading Like Mandela Leadership Development Programme 2 The continent, and indeed the world, are facing unprecedented challenges in the 21st century. Leaders are grappling with a myriad of challenges ranging from global health pandemics, poverty, economic inequality, education access and quality, civil war, fighting climate change and hunger, amongst others. These challenges will inevitably affect African youth, our leaders of tomorrow and it is therefore essential that this next generation of leaders is properly equipped with the right leadership tools to navigate and overcome these complex challenges. The Thembekile Mandela Foundation together with the United Nations, through the United Nations Development Programme (UN/UNDP), and the Forum for Former African Heads of State and Government (Africa Forum) have developed a Leadership Legacy project “Leading Like Mandela”. This initiative provides an opportunity for participants to explore African leadership excellence: understanding the lessons of the past, assessing the challenges of today, and having a clear vision for the future. The programme seeks to provide a platform for the development of skills in leadership excellence, while allowing participants to learn from and emulate the leadership values that Mandela espoused. II. Background and Context i. The African Context The socio-economic transformation of the continent of Africa over the next 45 years is guided by the strategic framework Agenda 2063. The guiding vision for Agenda 2063 is the AU Vision of “An integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the international arena”. It builds on and seeks to accelerate the implementation of past and existing continental initiatives for growth and sustainable development. Some of the past and current initiatives it builds on include: The Lagos Plan of Action, The Abuja Treaty, The Minimum Integration Programme, the Programme for Infrastructural Development in Africa (PIDA), The Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP), The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), and regional and national plans. It is also built on national, regional, and continental best practices in its formulation. Leading Like Mandela Leadership Development Programme 3 The seven African Aspirations for 2063, derived through a consultative process with the African Citizenry are as follows: • A Prosperous Africa, based on inclusive growth and sustainable development • An integrated continent, politically united, based on the ideals of Pan Africanism and the vision of Africa’s Renaissance • An Africa of good governance, democracy, respect for human rights, justice and the rule of law • A peaceful and secure Africa • An Africa with a strong cultural identity, common heritage, values and ethics • An Africa whose development is people driven, relying on the potential offered by people, especially its women and youth. • An Africa as a strong, united, resilient and influential global player and partner ii. The Global Context At the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit on 25 September 2015, more than 150 world leaders adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development including the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Leading Like Mandela Leadership Development Programme 4 The performance of any country and the continent of Africa in striving to achieve the goals as defined in Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals depends on the effectiveness of its leaders at all levels of society. “Leading Like Mandela” leadership development programme has as its key objective the development of effective leadership in Africa and the globe. iii. Leadership towards achieving Regional and Global Goals The world requires effective leadership for sustainable development. To achieve the SDGs, leadership at both the national and organizational levels would have to adopt leadership styles that: a) Engender a sense of shared responsibility toward the attainment of the Goals; b) One that is focused on the long-term and thus would establish systems that persistently ensure the pursuance of this goal