The inaugural event of this year’s Africa Week is an African Public Square (APS) open debate featuring a keynote address and a distinguished panel of diplomats, academics, and policy practitioners.

The event will be hosted by the African Leadership Centre in partnership with the African diplomatic community. It will be moderated by Professor ‘Funmi Olonisakin, and co-facilitated by Ambassador Manoa Esipisu, EBS.

This opening event of the Africa Week will be held as an African Public Square Open Debate. It will start with a Keynote by Dr Naledi Pandor followed by an open debate to critically discuss how Africa can exercise greater agency in disrupting the distances created by global power hierarchies and what forms of leadership will disrupt the growing distances between nations, institutions and the people they are supposed to serve, in order to navigate disrupting distance dissonance.

The questions at the core of this APS Open Debate are:

• Does the UN Pact for the Future offer any opportunities for repositioning Africa’s place in the world?
• How should Africa negotiate permanency on the UN Security Council? 

About the speaker

Dr Naledi Pandor

Dr Pandor is South Africa’s former Minister of International Relations and Cooperation from 2019-2024. She was part of the ministerial team of the cabinet of South Africa that initiated the genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. Dr Pandor was appointed the new Chair of the Nelson Mandela Foundation from 1 October 2024. Dr Pandor will be the third person to hold the position since Nelson Mandela established the organisation in 1999.

Dr Pandor became an MP in 1994 and has amassed impressive experience in positions of public office, including Deputy chief whip of the ANC in the National Assembly from 1995 to 1998, served as the Deputy chairperson of the National Council of Provinces in 1998, and its Chairperson from 1999-2004.

Dr Pandor’s experience in education policy planning made her a welcome appointment as South Africa’s Minister of Education in 2004. She has been a member of cabinet ever since, and has served her country in the following portfolios:

• Minister of Education (2004-2009);
• Minister of Science and Technology (2009-2012);
• Minister of Home Affairs (2012-2014);
• Minister of Science and Technology (2014-2018); and
• Minister of Higher Education and Training (2018-19).

Dr Pandor has a Phd from the University of Pretoria and honorary doctorates from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, University of Stellenbosch, and the University of Lisbon (Portugal) and the University College Dublin in Ireland.

Upon being awarded Germany's highest federal award, the Grand Cross of Merit, the German Ambassador to South Africa, Walter Lindner, said: "Pandor is for us a symbol of the new South Africa: modern, innovative, dedicated to scientific progress and also outstanding female leadership".

About King's Africa Week

Hosted by the African Leadership Centre and Africa research group, Africa Week is an annual celebration of research, education and outreach activities on Africa.

King's Africa Week brings together academics, researchers and students from across King's – and offers the opportunity to hear from African scholars, leaders and thinkers. It also showcases King's collaboration with African universities and partners.

Find out more about Africa Week