Panel Includes U.S. Congressmen Gregory Meeks and Donald Payne as well as Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer, among others
How is American foreign policy toward Africa created? Who and what is behind it?
To consider those and other questions, New York University’s Africa House and The John Brademas Center for the Study of Congress will host a panel discussion, “Who Makes Policy on Africa?” on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at NYU’s D’Agostino Hall (108 West Third Street).
The panel will consist of Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer (also former Ambassador to South Africa); U.S. Congressman Gregory Meeks (member of the House Subcommittee on African Affairs); U.S. Congressman Donald Payne (ranking minority member, House Subcommittee on African Affairs); Vice President of the International Crisis Group Donald Steinberg (also former Ambassador to Angola); and Professor William Easterly, NYU. The discussion will be moderated by NYU Vice Provost Yaw Nyarko and opening remarks will be given by NYU President Emeritus John Brademas.
Panelists will discuss their foreign policy roles and illuminate how and why policies are developed and take effect. In their remarks, they will also discuss who they see as the major players responsible for setting the U.S. agenda on Africa; the developments they would like to see in US policy towards Africa; their goals for improving the policy development process; and the best ways for average citizens to make a difference in foreign policy.
The event is free and open to the public: Contact Geoffrey Williams at 212-992-9939 or geoffrey.williams@nyu.edu for more information. Reporters interested in attending the event should contact Robert Polner, NYU’s Office of Public Affairs, at 212.998.2337 or robert.polner@nyu.edu.
Africa House is the intellectual center for NYU students and faculty who are studying Africa and its diasporas. It likewise is a meeting place for people in the New York City metropolitan area who have a personal or professional interest in Africa and its diasporas. It provides a venue for visiting African dignitaries, leaders, cultural figures, and academics who are visiting the city, and also is the administrative home for many of the University’s academic initiatives on the study of Africa and its diasporas. A common thread running through these initiatives is that they are designed to give NYU students and faculty first hand opportunities to study and conduct research in Africa and elsewhere as well as to bring African and African diasporic students and academics to NYU. www.nyu.edu/africahouse
The John Brademas Center for the Study of Congress at the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University seeks to advance the understanding of Congress-its powers, processes and political character-among scholars, students pursuing careers in public service, those working on Capitol Hill and the public. The Center achieves its mission through nonpartisan research, teaching and public outreach events-such as symposia and conferences-focused on the role of Congress in making national policy. Our programming aims to explore issues and problems of the legislative branch from new perspectives. The Center is named for founder John Brademas, NYU President Emeritus and former Member of Congress. www.nyu.edu/brademas