Historically, Arusha has and is continues to increasingly become more central to intra-African diplomacy and centre for continental governance experiments. One is justified to hence fondly refer to Arusha as “the Geneva of Africa”. The city is home to the Arusha Declaration of 1967, Tanzania’s most prominent political statement of African Socialism/Ujamaa piloted by Julius Mwalimu Nyerere, Tanzania’s founding father.
At present, in addition to the East Africa Community and its organs, Arusha hosts the United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals. This international character is further complemented by the fact that Arusha has a vibrant tourism industry – with the world’s largest national parks calling Arusha home. The bonus point is the fact that Arusha plays host to some of the most prominent higher learning institutions (e.g., ESAMI, NM-AIST, Makumira University, University of Arusha, MS TCDC, and IAA)
Arusha is where Rwanda’s pre-genocide peace negotiation process took place, resulting into the “Arusha Accords”. Later, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) for trials of the Rwandan genocide offenders were held in Arusha.
“The Arusha Debates” aims to put a global spotlight on Arusha City for its rich history and the nostalgia attached to it to galvanize global thought leaders to gather and generate insights into how to make social and economic development a reality for ever greater numbers of Africans.
The Debates seek to highlight pressing African issues that require regional, continental and global policy attention and financial investment. Arusha Debates, though not seeking to occupy a competing position, works toward becoming an equally important African voice to the likes of “Davos Meeting - The World Economic Forum”
Learn MoreMS TCDC has an active Cooperation Agreement for co-hosting the annual YouLead Summit on the margins of which the inaugural 2021 Arusha Debates will be hosted. The inaugural Debates will be held in November, as part of the MS-TCDC and EAC’s annual YouLead Summit, with its Patron, former Tanzanian President His Excellency Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, as Co-Convenor with the EAC’s Secretary-General Hon. Dr. Peter Mathuki and Arusha Regional Commissioner, Hon. John Vianney Kitayomba Mongella.
The YouLead Summit is East Africa’s largest forum of young leaders, mentors, government officials and youth organisations representatives from all the 6 EAC Partner States since 2017 and in 2021 it will expand to cover an Africa-wide audience with thousands participating through virtual platforms. More at www.youleadsummit.org
To be debated is “How Can Africa’s Young Innovators Make AfCFTA Magic Happen?”, exploring pan-African innovations that are working, their leaders, and the opportunities to break new ground, and open doors for youth to participate in national and regional economies, and create meaningful development within the frameworks of the African Common Free Trade Area that went into effect in January 2021.
The debates are structured to have many perspectives on a few selected issues and aim to have contending trends and ideas surfaced. They mainly occur via two approaches:
The debates are structured to have many perspectives on a few selected issues and aim to have contending trends and ideas surfaced. They mainly occur via two approaches:
Roundtables/Forum in which two to three speakers, standing at a podium, or seated on an elevated stage is led by a sitting moderator through the discussion.
The YouLead Summit and the Arusha Debates will be one of the largest gatherings of young Africans engaged in crafting responses to the region’s rapidly growing youth population, their challenges and opportunities. It’s a rare audience of young Africans with that profile and offers engagement with the people who will define the coming years in Africa. It brings proximity to both President Jakaya Kikwete who is YouLead’s Patron and the network of influential leaders he and his foundation bring to the YouLead Summit. As a bonus point, at the 2021 YouLead Summit, President Jakaya Kikwete will be unveiling East Africa’s inaugural EAC Youth Leadership Fellowship.
There are great possibilities to be a partner in a journey where Africa’s future is shaped and to have one’s organisation and brand associated with its stardust.
There will be opportunities to hold exhibitions and speak to this purpose in engaging visual ways.
The launch Debates will dovetail in a bigger event in February 2022.