Africa Together Conference 2022 - Report

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CONFERENCE REPORT

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AFRICA TOGETHER CONFERENCE 2022

THEME: AFRICA’S RE-EMERGENCE: TAKING BACK CONTROL

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This Conference Report was prepared with contributions from:

Mr Frederick Abu-Bonsrah – ATC Lead Rapporteur and ASCU General Secretary

Mr Daniel Olaoluwa Whyte – Rapporteur, Indigenous Business and Innovation Panel

Mr M. Zayan Imoro – Rapporteur, Leadership and Security Panel

Ms Aderinsola Alege – Rapporteur, Africa Future Pitch Competition

Mr Martin Wagah – ASCU Communications Chair & Home Outreach Initiative Chair

CONFERENCE ORGANISING TEAM

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Alice Amegah President & Chair PhD, Education and Intl. Dev. Christ College

Martin Wagah Communications Chair & Home Outreach Initiative Chair PhD, Genomics Wolfson College

Daniel Hawkins Iddrisu Social Chair MPhil, Education, Globallsation & Intl. Dev Queens’ College

Shadrack Frimpong Conference Advisor PhD, Public Health & Primary Care Jesus College

Kenechukwu Nwagbo Logistics Chair PhD, Education and Intl. Dev. Queens’ College

Dean George Wanjala Africa Over Coffee Chair MCL, Corporate Law Corpus Christi College

Chrlstopher Ndegwa Legal Officer MCL, Corporate Law Wolfson College

Alessia Ababio MPhil, Strategy, Mgmt & Operations Homerton College

Jesse Cheruiyot-Rop Fundraising & Partnerships Chair PhD, Genomics Wolfson College

Ngo Bibaa Lundi-Anee Omam Fundraising Officer PhD, Public Health & Primary Care Clare Hall

Myesha D. Jemison ASCU Mentorship Scheme Co-Chair PhD, History and Philosophy of Science Trinity College

Nana Aba Arthur Undergraduate Officer BA Philosophy Trinity College

Frederick Abu-Bonsrah General Secretary LLM, Law Magdalene College

Aisha Yusuf Welfare Officer PhD, Oncology King’s College

Chisom Ifeobu ASCU Mentorship Scheme Co-Chair PhD, Geotechnical Engineering Newnham College

Kudzai Chivenga Academic Officer BA Land Economy Hughes Hall

LOGISTICS TEAM

CAMBRIDGE AFRICA BUSINESS NETWORK

Jemima Kugblenu Treasurer Master of Accounting Wolfson College

Stephanie O. Adeyemo Conference Brochure Editor & Desginer Vice President, CU Nigerian Society PhD, Electrical Engineering Hughes Hall

Gideon Seun Olanrewaju MPhil, Education, Globallsation & Intl. Dev Magdaiene College

Aderinsola Alege MBA, Finance Hughes Hall

Stanley Jachike Onyemechalu Curator, Art Exhibition PhD, Archaeology King’s College

Daniel Olaoluwa Whyte MPhil, African Studies Trinity Hall

Angela Khakali MBA, Finance Darwin College

M. Zayan Imoro President, CU Ghanaian Society PhD, Criminology Christ College

Folakunmi Pinheiro PhD, Law Darwin College

Jenna Hertz MBA, Finance Clare College

Oluwasegun Afolaranmi PhD, Medical Science Homerton College

Favour Emma-Nwachukwu MPhil, Development Studies Magdalene College

OUR SPONSORS

SPONSORS

PLATINUM SPONSOR

Zeepay is the fastest-growing wholly Ghanaian-owned fin-tech in Ghana, focusing on digital rails to connect digital assets such as mobile money wallets, cards, ATMs, Bank Accounts and Digital tokens to International Money Transfer Operators, Payments, Subscriptions, International Airtime and Refugee payments. This is an effort to promote and improve financial inclusion, making the world a better place to live.

Golden Palm Investments’ mission is to alleviate the most pressing issues in Africa through investment in brilliant entrepreneurs and innovative solutions. We view technology as a fundamental driver of development within numerous sectors across Africa. We provide a platform for the best and brightest to leverage technology in building new markets and reshaping existing ones.

Bantaba is Africa’s biggest start up-diaspora community that connects African tech start-ups to investors, mentors and consultants in the African diaspora. The platform enables the African diaspora to contribute to the African tech ecosystem through networking, mentoring and investing in tech start-ups on the continent.

BRONZE SPONSOR

GOLD SPONSOR

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

On Saturday 21 May 2021, the African Society of Cambridge University (ASCU) organised the 8th Africa Together Conference (ATC2022). ASCU is a student organisation with the vision to become a robust, internationally astute society in Cambridge It provides providing support to African students; leads Africa related initiatives; and instils the core values of resilience, excellence, and communality in its members within and beyond the University. Currently, about 150 students in Cambridge from Africa or of African descent both undergraduate and postgraduate are ASCU members.

For many Africans studying at the University of Cambridge, ASCU is the main answer to the question ‘What are you doing for Africa, as a student in such a prestigious institution?’. Through ASCU, students have built structures for connecting with and mentoring their fellows across multiple nations. We have pursued mechanisms for supporting small businesses and start ups such as the creation of exhibition slots for students to exhibit and sell their products. We have also built platforms such as the Africa over Coffee series to enable students and stakeholders to have cogent conversations on critical issues affecting Africa and to identify potential solu tions. In addition, we have developed avenues for exporting our cultures to a global audience and bridging continental Africans with diasporic African communities. As ASCU grows, so does our impact as students. Recent achievements in our society, such as our Advocacy Paper deliv ered to the Vice Chancellor’s office (whose elements have already started being implemented), highlight our experiences at Cambridge. And likewise, through the ATC 2022, many goals were also met, which will continue to transform our communities at Cambridge, across Africa, and throughout the African Diaspora for years to come.

For the uninitiated, the Africa Together Conference is the annual flagship programme of ASCU and the premier student led conference on Africa at the University of Cambridge. For nearly a decade, the conference has continued to assemble Africa’s sharpest and most influential minds from academics, innovators, and policy experts to political leaders, industry stalwarts, and young professionals to discuss and design Africa’s future.

This year’s conference was held on the theme “Africa’s Re emergence: Taking Back Control”. It was a hybrid event held at the Møller Institute, Churchill College, University of Cambridge. Receiving over 150 attendees from both the global diaspora and the continental African com munity across all regions of the African Union, it was the largest Africa Together Conference yet! The tickets sold out well in advance and the venue was exquisite. Everything was finally in place, and the long awaited day had finally come.

The conference featured four keynote addresses as well as three panel discussions, in addition to start up project pitches, and artistic and cultural exhibitions by African creatives. The keynote addresses explored topical issues such as meeting the needs of both the present and future generations through sustainability, globalisation and Africa’s self sustaining agenda; the impact of neo colonial interferences in Africa; and the conference’s central theme, “Africa’s Re emergence: Taking Back Control”

The panel discussions interrogated issues surrounding Africa’s leadership and security, the growth of indigenous innovations and business in Africa as well as an Africa Future Pitch (AFP) competition – a maiden event where three African start-ups presented community development projects for feedback and potential investment offers.

Keynote speakers included Her Excellency Dr Arikana Chihombori-Quao, the former African Union representative to the United States; Prof. Muhammadou M. O. Kah, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of The Gambia to Switzerland & Vice President of the United Nations Human Rights Council; Mr Eugene Nizeyimana, CEO of SSCG Consulting and the African Business Chamber; and Rosalind Kainyah MBE, Founder and Managing Director of Kina Advisory. Conference participants also received a Special Message delivered virtually from Prof. Patrick Lumumba, Advocate of the High Courts of Kenya and Tanganyika and Founder of the PLO Lumumba Foundation.

This Conference Report provides the highlights of events that transpired at ATC2022 and the key takeaways from the conference.

Organising such an amazing conference was undoubtedly hectic. Throughout the academic year, we continued organising the usual ASCU events, such as the popular ‘Africa over Coffee’ sessions, academic events, bops, dinners, and mentorship sessions as we laid the groundwork for the conference. We often held meetings even on weekends and hurdled over our laptops long past midnight to finish that 40th invitation letter, or to solve some new challenge that had just emerged. All of this in an effort to ensure that ASCU’s flagship event returns in-person, as it had not been held for 2 years during the pandemic. We gave our hearts and souls to this conference. And thus, it is with great joy and satisfaction that we witnessed it being executed, and it is with appreciation that we received your compliments about it. Thank you all for joining us both physically and virtually for ATC2022, and for supporting us. We are truly grateful.

WELCOME ADDRESS – MS ALICE AMEGAH

In her Welcome Address, Ms Alice Amegah – ASCU President, Chair for the Africa Together Con ference 2022 and a PhD student of Education in her final year – noted that “ASCU has become a formidable Pan-African students’ society, embodying the African spirit of resilience among Africans and African diasporic scholars at the University of Cambridge”. All of us share this sen timent.

Ms Amegah also outlined the various steps that ASCU had taken in the Michaelmas and Lent terms of the (we are in a new academic year) current academic year all of which were aimed at ensuring that ASCU fulfilled its mandate of championing African students’ advocacy in Cam bridge. She detailed fruitful meetings with the Vice-Chancellor of the University on improving African students’ welfare, presentation of an Advocacy Paper to the Office of the Vice-Chan cellor aimed at driving diversity and inclusion for African students, and new partnerships with the Cambridge Museum of Archaeology and the Cambridge Centre of African Studies. She also revealed the strides ASCU is making towards this year’s mentorship scheme, which is geared towards assisting as many African scholars as possible to gain admission and ultimately fund ing to pursue postgraduate degrees at Cambridge.

Finally, Ms Amegah set the stage for ATC2022 by proclaiming that “…until Africans rise and take responsibility for our socio-economic and political development, our continent will remain an attractive destination for foreign and domestic exploitation.” With the bar set high, the speakers had no choice but to deliver. And deliver they did.

Ms Alice Amegah, President of ASCU, delivering her Welcome Address

OPENING ADDRESS – PROF. GRAHAM VIRGO QC

Starting us off with an Opening Address was Professor Graham Virgo QC, the Senior Pro-Vice Chancellor (Education) for the University of Cambridge. He began with a frank admission that “The University of Cambridge is nothing without its people,” and continued with a recognition that “Africa’s history is scarred by those who have failed to acknowledge the humanity of oth ers.” This was in reference to the late Desmond Tutu’s concept of ‘Ubuntu’, meaning humanity, that is more popularly captured in the phrase “I am because we are”.

Prof. Virgo therefore emphatically stated that it is only by working together that we can tackle the biggest tasks ahead for Africa – eradicating poverty, achieving food security, and managing the future of technology, amongst others. To this end, he stated that Cambridge has research institutions and programmes like Cambridge Africa (that has thrived for 15 years) to address and reverse the continent’s brain-drain and address Africa’s priorities in Africa.

Prof. Virgo further observed that the Africa Together Conference shows how innovators, entrepreneurs, policy experts, political leaders, and young African students are responding to the call for change. He reiterated that with creativity, dedication, and innovation by its young people, Africa can and will attain sustainability. He therefore commended ASCU and its executives for representing Africa’s future, for organising such a stimulating and inspirational programme, and for their impactful work their fellow for African students in Cambridge.

Professor Graham Virgo QC, delivering his Opening Address

As he continued his speech, we were overcome with joy for the considerable and impactful support that the Offices of the Vice-Chancellor and Pro-Vice-Chancellor have offered ASCU. It was a good sign to see the University of Cambridge’s top administration keep its promises and continue to engage directly with its students. We appreciate that the prevailing leaders at the University of Cambridge not only support but also encourage us to thrive.

Topic: Africa’s Re emergence: Meeting the Needs of the Present Generation without Compromis ing the Ability of Future Generations to Meet Their Own

In the First Keynote Address, delivered by Rosalind Kainyah MBE, sustainability was the subject that carried the day. Rosalind observed that sustainability means “meeting our present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own”. She maintained that Africa’s youth can achieve sustainability entrepreneurially. She stated that contrary to times past when businesses viewed their role as solely to make profits for their shareholders, sustainability (sometimes used interchangeably with Environmental, Social, and GovernanceESG) is nowadays seen as value creating. Sustainability contributes to the financial bot tom line of businesses and focuses more on stakeholders instead of just shareholders. Rosalind also stated that ESG helps companies attract and retain employees, gives companies a good reputation for consumer preference, and gives access to new market opportunities. The better a company’s ESG practices, the greater the pool of funds available.

Speaker: Rosalind Kainyah MBE Founder and Managing Director of Kina Advisory

Rosalind Kainyah MBE, delivering the First Keynote Address

However, Rosalind cautioned that “Africa does not necessarily need to follow the same path to sustainability as other industrialised nations.” Doing so, she said, would condemn Africa to always playing catch up in the global arena. She also observed that climate change is not so far from the African context. Whilst Africa is the least culpable in contributing to climate change, it is the worst-affected. As Africans, we must, therefore, innovate and chart our path as we learn from the mistakes of others. African businesses should focus on creating a convergence of interests between social and sustainable goals and delivering real business value.

Rosalind also noted that whilst raising capital for sustainable goals is a major challenge for most startups, there are many examples of African startups like Cold Hubs, My Green Home, Green Care, and Chanja Datti that are still driving sustainability goals. Other major African companies are also contributing to ESG initiatives. For example, Africa’s largest mobile network provider MTN has created MTN Deal which emphasises mentorship and training for its employees and saw the rate of employee turnover significantly reduce. Kenyan telecom company Safaricom also started a Women in Tech programme which targets female high school students and graduates to bridge the gap between genders in their access to technology. East African Breweries Ltd. also has an initiative that prepares employees and grants them extra compensation to enable them to deal with issues of domestic and family abuse. Rosalind therefore emphasised that ESG and sustainability in Africa can be achieved with concerted effort as is demonstrated by these companies.

PANEL 1: LEADERSHIP AND SECURITY

• Ms Fadzayi Mahere – Advocate of the High Court and Supreme Court of Zimbabwe

• Dr Justice Tankebe – Associate Professor of Criminology, Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge

• Dr Anino Emuwa – Founder and Managing Director, Avandis Consulting

• Dr Solomon Ayele Dersso – Founding Director, Amani Media and Research Services, Addis Ababa and Commissioner, African Commission on Human and People’s Rights

Stephen Buabeng-Baidoo began the discussion on the First Panel by interrogating the theme for the conference “Africa’s Re-emergence: Taking Back Control”. Specifically, he posed two questions: ‘what is Africa re-emerging from?’ and ‘from whom is Africa taking back control?’ This framing essentially questioned the assumption that there was an earlier African emergence, and it set the tone for the first part of the discussion.

In response to the question, Ms Fadzayi Mahere warned,“There is no such thing as rock bottom in Africa: things can always get worse.” She raised the issue of the leadership crisis in Africa and the need for young people to be more involved in leadership. She noted that as Africans, we may be proud of our origin, but not content with the state of affairs. Poverty, loss of self-dignity, personal safety, unemployment, and lack of free speech remain serious challenges for many on the continent. Ms Mahere contrasted the visionary leadership of the African leaders who championed the struggle for independence with contemporary African leaders, noting that current leadership across the continent lacked the kind of vision and ideological leadership required to drive development on the continent. In her view, taking back control means taking back power and leadership from the generation of leaders who are primarily responsible for the leadership crisis on the continent.

Dr Solomon Ayele Dersso, in his contribution, concurred with Ms Mahere. He delved further by highlighting the dearth in visionary leadership and political imagination on the continent. He recognised that this is also more of a global issue and one that also affects economically advanced societies. Dr Dersso noted that the current African leaders are transactional, focused solely on selling to the highest bidder. He added that African leaders are accustomed to responding to crises and are not proactive. This lack of vision accounts partly for the difficulties many African countries experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dr Anino Emuwa chimed in on this topic with the point that the notion of leadership across the world is rapidly changing. This change accounts for the rise of new political groups in Europe and the disenchantment of Western leaders with this changing space. She emphasised the need for African leaders to depart from Western developmental ideologies and to pursue leadership that responds to the practical needs of the African people. The leadership crisis, she noted, is an opportunity that should not be wasted. The youth, given their development within the technological age, are best placed to take advantage of this opportunity by being part of leadership.

Moderator: Stephen Buabeng-Baidoo – 2021 Cambridge Chevening Scholar, Associate – Office of the Legal Counsel (Africa Union), and Master of Law Candidate, University of Cambridge Panellists:

PANEL 1: LEADERSHIP AND SECURITY

Dr Justice Tankebe’s contribution to the discussion on leadership in Africa focused on the involvement of the youth in politics, potential corruption among the youth and avenues to facilitate youth inclusion in leadership. He began with a quote from Kwame Nkrumah that “Africa belongs to Africans”, noting that as Africans, we must be responsible for our resources and development. Citing a study on corruption intentions among prospective elites in Ghana, Dr Tankebe noted that many of the current youth are disenchanted with politics and have a weak connection to the state. The state has failed to address problems of the youth such as unemployment, corruption, poor transparency, and lack of accountability. In Dr Tankebe’s view, the first step in getting African youth more involved in leadership is to address youth problems, especially unemployment. This means a more equitable distribution of resources that benefits a wide cross-section of the population, including youth.

Panel 1: Leadership and Security

Stephen, the moderator, subsequently posed a question to Dr Dersso about the role of women in development, and why Africa is yet to achieve gender parity in governance. In response, Dr Dersso highlighted the role of the patriarchy in undermining women’s involvement in leader ship and stripping them of their dignity and sense of value. He maintained that women already make incredible contributions to society, and their resourcefulness, especially in times of crisis, needs more recognition. Citing the example of women’s participation in governance in Rwanda where 61 percent of parliamentary roles and over 50 percent of ministerial positions are held by women, he noted the importance of political will and commitment in ensuring inclusivity at all levels of governance.

The moderator further asked the panellists about how to address peace and security threats in Africa. In response to this question, Dr Emuwa stated that current responses to security threats on the continent have focused more on classic military interventions rather than addressing root causes which are the lack of good quality education and unequal access to economic opportunities. Addressing these root causes, in her view, holds better value than classic military responses Peace and security must be looked at from the perspective of Africans and our challenges.

In contributing to this discussion, Ms Fadzayi Mahere highlighted the increasing use of military violence against citizens by the very governments tasked with protecting citizens. She noted examples of post election violence by the military in Zimbabwe and the indiscriminate killing of opposition politicians and vocal citizens in other African countries by the military without any form of accountability. Dr Tankebe also noted that corruption was a major threat to security on the continent and stressed the need to build strong and sustainable governance institutions. He further stated that the Diaspora could equally play an important role in supporting develop ment through mobilising and supporting different interventions and processes of governance

Two questions were asked by conference participants during the Q&A session. The first, from Judwin Ndzo, an ASCU member, was, “How can French Africa shake off the political control from France?” In response, Ms Mahere raised the issue of the failure of the current African leaders and stressed the need for the youth to be courageous enough to take part in politics, and to be the change they desire to see. She called for ASCU members to return to Africa to get involved in political processes in their countries.

The second question, from Martin Wagah, also an ASCU member, was “What is missing from the education of African leaders, and how can the youth in universities take advantage of their current education?” In response, Ms Mahere emphasised the importance of educating and instilling values such as integrity and accountability in the youth to make them more compe tent leaders who will prioritise the needs of Africans and not their personal self interests.

Stephen concluded the panel discussion by raising the issue of the leadership crisis on the continent, while emphasising the importance of youth participation in leadership in the region. He urged Africans in the Diaspora, especially students, to go back home and contribute to the leadership and development of the continent.

The Black Cantabs Research Society, represented by its President (Ms Rumbidzai Dube POLIS PhD and Gates Scholar), was one of the key strategic partners for the leadership and Security Panel of the 2022 Africa Together Conference. The Black Cantabs worked closely with ASCU President, Ms. Alice Amegah, to clarify the objectives of the panel, participated in planning and logistical meetings and provided guidance/critical questions of the panel

2ND

KEYNOTE ADDRESS – MR EUGENE NIZEYIMANA

Topic: Globalisation and Africa’s Self-Sustaining Agenda

In delivering the Second Keynote Address, Mr Nizeyimana showcased his decades of experi ence working across multiple markets and provided excellent perspectives, especially for the conference’s theme. In his introduction, he reminded conference participants that despite to tally collapsing after the genocide, Rwanda has risen and is still rising. This, he believed, signals that there is hope for African leadership and development. He stated that the current African economy is home to about 55 countries and potentially the largest trade area in the world in the form of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). In this sense, he advised that any discussion about Africa’s re-emergence must consider the impact of globalisation and that we should “look at Africa re-emerging both locally and globally”.

Speaker: Mr Eugene Nizeyimana, CEO of SSCG Consulting and the African Business Chamber (AfBC)

These benefits, however, are not without their corresponding challenges. Mr Nizeyimana noted that foreign worker exploitation and brain drain, unprofitable rates in the trading of commodities like gold and cocoa, and the stifling of young African companies by global competition are among the many drawbacks to globalisation that the African continent must grapple with. These challenges, he stated, must be resolved first. African governments must put in place certain basic necessities: infrastructure, security, robust institutions and good governance. We need to create jobs and opportunities for the youth, invest in healthcare infrastructure and pharmaceutical production, empower and bring more women into leader ship and the labour force, and improve value addition and food security.

In his concluding remarks, Mr Nizeyimana reiterated that Africa will continue to face challenges and that we need to build resilience and assertiveness to respond better. He emphasised that African countries must take advantage of current global economic issues Covid 19, Brexit, etc. and reduce dependency on both China and the West. Africa needs to negotiate better deals and engagement terms with the rest of the world. He also observed that the ongoing Russia Ukraine war has exposed deficiencies in the global supply chain and that African leaders and entrepreneurs need to drive efficiencies and effectiveness for growth.

PANEL 2: INDIGENOUS BUSINESS AND INNOVATION

Panellists:

• Dr Sangu Delle – Co-founder and CEO of Africa Health Holdings

• Mr Andrew Takyi-Appiah – Co-founder and Managing Director of Zeepay

• Dr Patricia Nzolantima – Founder and Chair, Bizzoly Holdings

• Ms Nyasha Gwatidzo – Co-founder of Kushanda Virtual & Recruitment Agency

Dr Sangu Delle, in his five-minute introduction, commenced the Second Panel by emphasising the ‘scaling’ of African businesses. According to him, small- and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) will not solve Africa’s problems. He warned that discussions around Africa’s develop ment must not be based on solutions that betray a poverty of ambition and a dearth of imag ination. Businesses need to think of scale to achieve massive impact. On her part, Ms Nyasha Gwatidzo noted that SMEs still have a role to play in Africa. She believed such SMEs can have an impact locally and with the right resources they can grow to greater scales.

In her introductory remarks, Dr Patricia Nzolantima spoke about the key to the pan-African dream as being one of connectivity. Businesses must aim to mobilise resources, bridge demo graphics, and bring people together. Through this, we are able to guide people to recognise their value and potential and take charge of their growth. She noted that innovation is central to achieving the pan-African dream and that mobilising resources is key to achieving this in novation – whether capital or human resources. She spoke about the work her team has done in the past with respect to this, including the launch of the African Start-up Academy where they offered entrepreneurial education to high school students. She also reinforced the argu ment of Dr Delle on the need to scale African businesses. She noted that whilst there are many problems hindering the realisation of the pan-African dream, it is a scale game, as large-scale businesses can solve most of these problems. Therefore, players in the business sector need to start seeking areas, such as technology and health, where they can begin to dominate.

Building on the arguments of Dr Delle and Dr Nzolantima, Mr Andrew Takyi-Appiah, noted that scale also involves playing at the international level. He stressed that African businesses need to think about distributing at a cross-border and cross-continental level. Businesses need to begin to ask, “how do we take local food and package it in a way to redistribute it across the world at scale?” He also spoke about his drive and motivation as an entrepreneur. He noted that young entrepreneurs need to have the motivation and inner strength to keep at it in order to get ahead.

However, Dr Delle strongly disagreed. He believed motivation and inner strength are not enough for young African entrepreneurs to get ahead. “We sometimes romanticise the idea that all you need as an entrepreneur is a great idea – it is not true”, he said. He argued that Flut terwave, one of Nigeria’s leading fintech companies, succeeded not because the co-founders were energetic but because they raised half a billion dollars.

Moderator: Mr Eugene Nxumalo – Former VP and Group Treasurer, World Remit Group

He argued strongly that meritocracy is a fraud; it is an ideology perpetuated so the elite can maintain their status in society. The majority of people who succeed in entrepreneurship are well-capitalised, well-connected, and have the right network of people to push them. Without hope, passion, and a great idea, you will definitely fail, but those qualities alone are also not enough without the needed capital and the right network. He therefore stressed the impor tance of capital – whether financial or social capital – to get ahead as a young entrepreneur.

In conclusion, Dr Patricia Nzolantima added that young entrepreneurs should always work to their advantage. She urged them to know themselves and their strengths and play to their strengths. Most importantly, she urged that whatever role they play in the ecosystem, they should play it well.

Panel 2: Indigenous Business and Innovation

In the Q&A session, the first question was: How can we solve the poverty crisis in Africa?

In response to this question, Dr Delle reiterated the importance of scaling businesses. He said Africans need to do large-scale businesses because the poverty crisis is big. The solution, he said, is to scale. He noted that more importantly, African governments need to create a con ducive environment for business. Businesses that operate at a large scale can create jobs, but they need to have a conducive ecosystem within which to do so.

Mr Takyi-Appiah stressed the importance of quality education. He argued that it is important to create a strong and quality curriculum; a belief system that people can get things done; and a general reawakening among the African youth. He noted that all this involves different forms of education from formal schooling to informal education.

Another attendee asked Dr Delle: Since you are now a gatekeeper and know how to access fi nance, how do we make it fairer so that people do not need to know a “big man” before they can access capital? To this, Dr Delle responded that it is important that people with the right ideas, quality education, and open minds be part of the capitalisation decision-makers. When the right people are in power, they can make the right decisions that foster easy access to finance, for instance by liberalising pension assets.

This was an intriguing panel discussion that spoke directly to the ATC2022 theme of Africa’s re-emergence on a local and global scale. The most important key point from the session is that business innovation and large-scale enterprises are at the heart of eradicating poverty on the continent. They are also crucial for Africa to be self-sustainable and to dominate globally. Mobilising financial and social capital is key to achieving such business innovation at scale. It is, therefore, important for young entrepreneurs to build the right social networks as they work towards launching their creative business ideas and products. Lastly, quality education and effective leadership are crucial to creating an ecosystem that allows such business innovations to scale and be successful.

NETWORKING LUNCH AND BUSINESS & ART EXHIBITIONS

With the morning sessions done, conference participants were treated to a sumptuous lunch, with an assortment of African delicacies, whilst networking amongst themselves and with the various panellists and dignitaries in attendance. We especially aimed to provide participants access to the speakers and panellists in order to stimulate strategic partnerships and nuanced conversations around the conference theme towards Africa’s sustainable development. To this end, we ensured that panellists were seated in vantage positions around the conference venue to allow engagement and networking with participants throughout the lunch courses.

We were also treated to spoken word performances and a cultural dance by the Efua Sey Cul tural Academy, whose beautiful faces, enchanting drums, and authentic dance set our hearts aglow. Many of us were unable to resist the call to dance, and so we swayed in place to the beat as their rhythms animated us.

Although the panels and speeches were very exciting, the conference had much more to offer. In-person attendees had the luxury of viewing an Art Exhibition under the supervision of Mr Stanley Onyemechalu (Gates Cambridge Scholar and PhD Candidate in Archaeology). The arte facts were provided for display with the permission of the Cambridge Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. Among the artefacts on display was a wooden replica of a famous Benin Bronze, which echoed our theme of “taking back control”.

A cultural dance from the Efua Sey Cultural Academy

The majority of the exhibitions formed part of either the collection of Arthur C. Spooner during his time in colonial West Africa or the ‘T Series’ exhibition for museum education. Some of the other artefacts on display included:

• ‘Talking drum’ a percussion instrument traceable to the Akan, Bono, Hausa, and Yoruba peoples in West Africa.

• Wooden stool symbol of a traditional ruler’s authority among Akan people of Ghana.

• Ashanti ceremonial stool and wooden stool.

• Wooden replica of Uhumnwun Elao, a Benin bronze signifying the commemorative head of an Oba in Nigeria.

• Brass human figure sculpture, from the West African kingdom of Benin, representing a palace guard or town chief.

• Brass plaque with human figures

• Carved wooden mask, possibly of an Emir.

• Kpeliye’e mask (II), worn by the Senufo people of the Ivory Coast region. Allegedly purchased by Arthur C. Spooner from a trader called Dan Torsi in the 1930s.

• A small mask depicting a head with elaborate headdress, “collected” from Lawra, the former administrative centre for the colonial British empire.

The artefacts offered us an opportunity to reflect on the significance of such items that are found far from their native lands in many museums across the world, whose functions are lost to even those who possess them today.

Next door, a Business Exhibition was also in place, featuring companies such as:

• Bantaba connecting African startups with investors, mentors and knowledge in the Diaspora

• ClicknPay Africa the largest Zimbabwe based FinTech company operating as an e commerce website across Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana. ClicknPay Africa allows users to:

• buy groceries and electronic equipment online;

• pay school fees and bills;

• delegate ticketing services for event organising and donations as the largest online ticketing system in Zimbabwe and

• supply groceries and products to a host of street and shop vendors.

• Zimbowties creative bow ties inspired by African art and patterns

• BijouCREATES making colourful accessories such as fans, handbags and backpacks, inspired by West African heritage and a hybrid British fashion,

• Nala Money making secure and reliable payments from the UK and USA to Africa in seconds. Promises instant money transfers with amazing rates and no hidden fees, on a system that offers multilingual support.

• TIST.org connecting subsistence farmers in Tanzania with the global carbon market through a tree planting programme and sustainable agriculture.

• McKinsey & Company Africa, and many others.

As participants enjoyed the networking lunch and sampled the business and art exhibitions through th networking lunch, a video of a pre-recorded Special Message from Prof. P.L.O Lumumba (Advocate of the High Courts of Kenya and Tanganyika, and Founder of the PLO Lumumba Foundation) was airing on all screens around the conference venue. The esteemed professor warned African students and conference participants about the influence of the West in Africa, outlined the role of leadership in the eradication of corruption, and articulated the way forward for taking back control in a new dawn of African governance.

After the lunch break, participants returned for the afternoon session of the programme. The most anticipated guest, Her Excellency Dr Arikana Chihombori-Quao, delivered the Third Keynote Address. Although she was speaking to us virtually from Zimbabwe, the essence of her soul was palpable within the room as if she was right there with us. Hers was a boldness that inspired a change of pace. It was a call to re-examine the historical context that had led us to need to take back control of our continent.

She stated that if Africa’s children can succeed and grow to become champions, they must first understand the history of Africa. As we restrategise for the African youth to take charge of the development agenda, we need to educate them on the rules of engagement. She proceeded to point with little controversy that “our beloved continent is under siege,” as it has been for hundreds of years now. “It is not a coincidence,” she added, “that the richest continent on earth is also the poorest continent on earth.” She advised the audience that “the image in the mirror is who [they] need to ask questions.” And the questions they must ask themselves are legion: why do we use some words and colours to refer to ourselves? Why has justice for historical transgressions been delayed for so long? Why are there asymmetries regarding how African nations are treated in the global arena?

Speaker: Her Excellency, Ambassador Dr Arikana Chihombori-Quao – Founder and CEO of African Diaspora Development Institute (ADDI)

3RD KEYNOTE ADDRESS – AMBASSADOR ARIKANA CHIHOMBORI-QUAO

Dr Arikana Chihombori-Quao delivering her rousing speech virtually

She reiterated that the colonialists assigned human attributes to colours of black and white, with subliminal messaging denoting that black was evil and undesirable whilst white was good and desirable. To this end, she cautioned conference participants against the propaganda and lies that make it difficult for Africans to stand up and resist the abuse inflicted on us. The narratives defeat us before the game even begins. She urged the audience to reflect on whether or not to accept the description of “Black”, because we are not Black; we are African!

H.E. Chihombori-Quao further drew attention to the fact that Africa is designed to provide the natural resources and raw materials to create jobs for Europeans, only to be made mere consumers of the value-added products of our resources. A major cause of this, she noted, is the fact that African countries negotiate independently. To her, this is mind-boggling. How does Togo go into the same boxing ring with China? How does Congo stand a fighting chance against the USA? She emphasised that Africa needs a joint effort of continental trade strategy in order to throw a sucker punch.

Her Excellency concluded her speech by making an impassioned plea to ASCU members: “To African students in Cambridge University, remember that to whom much is given, much is expected. You have a responsibility to educate your non-African friends about the truth about Africa. Invite them to Africa to see for themselves this beautiful Garden of Eden we call home.” In the spirit of togetherness, she reminded us that we must “come together and speak with one voice” and tell the world the truth that “Africa is not a diseased and dying continent. [The world should] see Africa with 20/20 vision: the continent that has it all”. The audience hard ly allowed her to complete a sentence as they received her words with applause. The truth is often heavy and unbearable, but we must learn to bear its weight if we are to have a chance at redemption and if we can, we must welcome such truths with applause and take them to heart.

One participant posed a question: how do we deal with the African leadership crisis first before collaborating on a strategy to deal with the West? In response, H. E. Chihombori-Quao stated that “there is a leadership crisis in every part of the world, especially on the issue of corruption. Take Francophone Africa as an example: France still has a colonial presence in many of these African countries and French Africa continues to pay colonial tax in so many ways. African gov ernments that have pushed back on this policy have been insidiously destabilised and, in some cases, Presidents have been killed. Of course, African leaders have their challenges, but to know the root cause of Africa’s woes, follow the guns!”

AFRICA

FUTURE PITCH (AFP) COMPETITION

AFP Judges:

• Mr Lamin K. Daboe – CEO & Co-founder, Bantaba

• Dr Khadija El-Bedweihy – Founder and Managing Director, PraxiLabs

• Mr Ikenna Uzoh – Google Cloud Engineer, Studio Analytics and AI (formerly Senior Manager, Amazon Web Services)

• Dr Patrizia Vecchi – Assistant Professor and Director of Studies for Management Studies, Cam bridge Judge Business School

a. In Conversation with the AFP Judges

The final panel ushered in the maiden Africa’s Future Pitch, where the top start-up finalists of our competition presented innovative community development projects for prizes, feedback and potential investment offers. This was another direct opportunity for students and scholars from various backgrounds to interact with the African start-up ecosystem.

In the lead up to the actual pitch by competition finalists, the moderator engaged in conversa tion with the AFP judges, asking them about their background. Ms El-Bedweihy stated that she had founded PraxiLabs to assist university students across 17 countries to solve STEM-related educational challenges. When asked why, she stated, “If you want to change anything, change education.” Mr Darboe stated that he has a finance background from The Gambia and had worked in early-stage financing and telecoms, consulting in Asia, Europe, and North America. He started Bantaba, a fintech company aimed at mobilising technology and capital to em power the African financial ecosystem by connecting startups to investors and mentors in the Diaspora.

Dr Vecchi stated that she was born and raised in Italy. She was originally an economist and banking practitioner but later took an interest in the human side of business. She is an Assis tant Professor in Organisational Behaviour and she teaches leadership and diversity & inclusion at the Cambridge Judge Business School. She is also the Director of Cambridge Rising Women, helping women with leadership ambitions to get established and build the right network. Mr Uzoh stated that he holds an Executive MBA from Cambridge Judge Business School and now works with Google, focusing on studio analytics and artificial intelligence. He also consults in technology advisory services for data analytics and artificial intelligence for tech businesses. He added a disclaimer that all views shared by him whilst on the panel are entirely his own and do not represent those of the companies he works for.

The next question posed by the moderator was, “What key sectors are driving startups in your opinion and what is the regional breakdown, if possible?” In response to this, Mr Darboe stat ed that the biggest sector currently is FinTech. This is because many people now have access to smartphones and digital tools, marketplaces are communal, and people are looking to buy goods in a convenient way.

Moderator: Angela Khakali – 2021 Cambridge Chevening Scholar and MBA in Finance Candi date, Cambridge Judge Business School

He, however, stated that e-commerce and logistics are going to see an increase in patronage going forward. He further stated that most tech startups are springing up in Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Kenya and Egypt and that a lot of new markets in Francophone Africa are coming up as policyholders are seeing the impacts of innovative digital markets.

The next question posed by Angela, the moderator, was, “How does one get involved in the tech start-up scene?” Mr Uzoh stated that aspiring techpreneurs must assess the feasibility of their ideas and democratise the process of becoming an entrepreneur. They must also survey the potential market and be sure of their proof of concept and what problem their idea is going to solve. He further stated that nowadays one does not even need to always come up with a novel idea. Look at the current services and ask how to innovate. Then adopt available tools to test the feasibility of that idea. He stated, for example, that Paystack used the Stripe model and are now truly successful. He reiterated that digital tools have made it easier for entrepreneurs to play in the tech space.

When asked “How do you identify the right talent to bring into your team, and how do you develop the talent of your team?” Ms El-Bedweihy responded that a crucial recruitment tip, especially for startups, is to try not to work with employees who are just seeking a job. Start-ups must bring on people who communicate a purpose that aligns with your team’s goals and values. To this end, startups must assess how incoming recruits buy into the vision and purpose of the company.

Panel 3: Africa’s Future Pitch

b. The Finalists’ Pitch to Judges

After undergoing a rigorous preliminary process which included application and shortlisting the three finalists for the maiden Africa Futures Pitch competition at ATC 2022 were:

• Capsule, a Technology & Business Intermediator for lending to SMEs;

• Uku’hamba Prosthetics and Orthotics (Pty) Ltd, which deploys digital technology for optimising the development of prosthetic limbs and orthosis for the less privileged; and

• SuaCode.ai, Inc. an EdTech and AI start-up that is democratising science and technology education across Africa using smartphones and artificial intelligence.

In his pitch to the judges, the CEO of Capsule, Ikechukwu Okoli explained the company’s mis sion, vision, solutions, pricing model, and team members. He explained the problem as lack of information infrastructure for credit risk assessment to reduce cost and perceived risk by inves tors. Transaction costs hence become a deterrent to securing funding from investors.

The company’s goal is mainly helping investors and SMEs make efficient and cost-effective credit decisions by providing 3 solutions: enterprise solutions and digitization; market relevant insights and compliance; and secure and extendable Application Programming Interface (API) connectivity.

Pitching on behalf of Uku’hamba Prosthetics and Orthotics (Pty) Ltd., Sibongile Mong, the CEO explained the existing problem of prosthetics shortage and the fact that there are several other people like him who do not have access to prosthetics in a timely manner as well as the available ones being too expensive. They aim to solve the problem of meeting the demand for prosthetics, providing affordable ones within a short turnaround time. They use 3D printing technology, 3D scans, and mobile apps for ordering and taking measurements. Products come in different colours, are constructed from light-weight materials and are adjustable and tai lored to client’s specifications.

They also provided information on their competitive price analysis, the business model and its viability and feasibility, the financial support needed to scale production, and the team mem bers. The overall goal of the startup was leveraging digital technology to achieve fast produc tion of affordable, comfortable prosthetic limbs.

George Boateng, the CEO of SuaCode.ai, pitched on behalf of SuaCode.ai, Inc. and explained the problem they hope to solve (i.e. digital illiteracy in Africa), the available potential (i.e. prolif eration of smartphones in Africa, based on survey of students in Ghana) the solution proffered by SuaCode.ai and its AI teaching assistant, Kwame, the success stories of its users and alums, the target market, the pricing and revenue models, as well as the founders and team mem bers. The overall goal is to democratise coding education across Africa using smartphones and artificial intelligence and, in the process, bringing coding skills within the reach of African youth to improve their career and skills.

The AFP Judges asked questions of all the finalists for further clarification of the pitch details and proposals. Judges’ questions focused on issues such as feasibility, market attraction, technical modalities, affordability, and plans towards upscaling. Judges then left to deliberate whilst the conference activities continued.

In the end, the judges declared SuaCode.ai, Inc. as the winner of the inaugural edition of the Africa Future Pitch competition. As all three start-up companies were finalists, all were present ed with prizes. SuaCode.ai, being the overall winner, took home a prize of GBP 2,000 in funding, USD 5,000 worth of credits in Amazon Web Services, USD 1,000 worth of credit in Twilio, USD 1500 credit of SMS voice and WhatsApp calls, and an entrepreneurial mentorship from Banta ba, one of the conference’s key corporate sponsors.

In all, it was a total of almost GBP 10,000 worth of prizes for the AFP Competition winner, and almost GBP 5,000 worth of prizes for the first and second runners-up. We expect that with the help of partnering institutions such as the Judge Business School, the next Africa Futures Pitch will be even bigger and better!

The Cambridge Africa Business Network, represented by its executives was one of the key strategic partners for the Africa’s Future Pitch Contest of the 2022 Africa Together Conference. The Cambridge Africa Business Network team worked closely with the ASCU conference team to plan the contest.

Topic: Africa’s Re-emergence: Taking Back Control

Before delivering his Closing Keynote Address, His Excellency Ambassador Professor Muhammadou Kah, congratulated ASCU Executives and all conference organisers and volunteers for a wonderful programme and requested participants to offer a round of applause to the team. In his speech, he captured the conference theme with the balance of an experienced diplomat and the sharp clarity of a seasoned academic.

His Excellency first stated the importance of understanding the concept of “re-emergence”. He noted that we have seen through discoveries that Africa has not been told the full story of its ancestors and their global contributions. It was on African soil that astrology, science, medicine, architecture, and arts had their beginnings. Thus, he stated that the overblown miseries of the so-called dark continent were exaggerated. Africa had a history of bringing things of immense value to the global table. The Ambassador further noted that it is intrinsic in every re-emergence that we do not dispose of our history, but rather learn from it the lessons needed for our sustainable emergence. In his view, it is time to actively listen and efficiently execute integrity, discipline, and a sense of purpose to uplift all African people.

On how to achieve re-emergence, Prof. Kah first noted that food security is crucial and a major trigger for many things that may help us take control. Africa needs to have policy inno vation of food systems to enhance the resilience of food security. The right to food is one of the most fundamental human rights. Conflict and hunger are interlinked and when one exists, the other is easily triggered. He warned that complex challenges require complex strategies to wards sustainable and continental solutions beyond any one country.

Prof. Kah also noted access to education as another fundamental human right for African de velopment. The right to learn and learn effectively is a major requirement to Africa’s re-emer gence and the quest to take back control. He stated, “For Africa to truly emerge, I earnestly believe we must start with quality education. We must start with the pursuit of education, particularly our own indigenous knowledge.” In his view, all levels of education must be char acterised by a pursuit of knowledge for free thought, discourse and debate and contextualised to the African setting. To this end, he noted that Africa needs scholars who care deeply about education, a new generation of academics to shape game-changing mindsets, and to serve as the next crop of ethical leaders restoring hope and equitable distribution of resources. His Excellency further stated that the conversation around Africa’s re-emergence must also fo cus on resource management in leadership, noting that we cannot have the new Africa where our leadership is plagued with corruption, greed, and conflict. He noted that to truly take back control, it must start at the top.

Speaker: His Excellency Ambassador Professor Muhammadou Kah, Vice President of the United Nations Human Rights Council and the Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary of The Gambia to Switzerland.

CLOSING KEYNOTE ADDRESS – AMBASSADOR MUHAMMADOU KAH

Our leaders, to whom we have entrusted our tomorrow, must drive our re-emergence. Our leadership must evolve into an entity that is sensitive to the needs of the African people. Pro fessionalism, punctuality, and self-discipline are crucial elements for progressive leadership. We must focus and re-centre our resources as the building blocks of our development in order to drive positive change on a systematic and structural level.

Digitalisation is another way of achieving Africa’s re-emergence, according to Ambassador Kah. He stressed that digital transformation of government and social services is key. He stated that we will neither re-emerge nor take control if we do not have competencies to build the requi site digital infrastructure and put in place ecosystems that can harness the ingenuity of Africa’s diverse youth. We must fix the digital divide and inclusivity in Africa, and we must put in place a resilient and agile data infrastructure.

In concluding his speech, the venerable diplomat told conference participants that we all have a collective obligation to Africa’s future and its re-emergence. This demands that we develop an ownership mindset that empowers us all to take our place at the forefront of the process needed to achieve the re-emergence. He implored all present to become key actors of change, noting that development of Africa by non-Africans will not be our saving grace. Each one of us is accountable for the future of Africa. Ambassador Kah ended with a clarion call to African stu dents in Cambridge and in the UK. Whilst acknowledging the dilemma that many in the African Diaspora feel, he emphasised that “the call to return home is not an easy one to answer, es pecially when home seems broken beyond repair. But you will be amazed by the contentment and source of satisfaction that awaits you when you contribute to the change we seek. It is time for Africa to re-emerge and for the world to pay attention.”

The Closing Keynote Address, by H.E. Ambassador Professor Muhammadou Kah

VOTE OF THANKS AND PRESENTATION OF AFP WINNER

The ceremony ended with the presentation of awards to the winner of the Africa Future Pitch competition by Ms Alice Amegah, the ASCU President and Chair of the 2022 Africa Together Conference. She detailed the tirelessness and dedication that had gone into planning and or ganising this year’s conference. To recognise their efforts, she invited all conference volunteers and members of the conference planning team on stage to receive a rousing applause from conference participants.

Ms Amegah also delivered a heartfelt vote of thanks to all panellists, speakers, conference participants for making the ATC2022 an overwhelming success. She especially noted the sup port received from the wider university community – Offices of the Vice-Chancellor and Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor, colleges, departments, organisations, and the ever-receptive staff at the Møller Institute, Churchill College – in making the vision of ATC2022 a reality. She expressed her hope that the day’s discussions, insights shared, and networks formed by conference partici pants during the conference will lead to a bigger lasting conversation about Africa’s future, its re-emergence, and development.

The conference day ended with announcements by the MC, Afua Acheampong-Hagan, and a group photograph with all conference participants. Next stop: The Cambridge Hilton and the much-anticipated AfroBall 2022.

Social and Economic development

• There is no rock bottom in Africa; things can always get worse.

• African countries are not poor; they are just poorly managed.

• African countries must take advantage of current global economic issues like Covid-19, Brexit, etc. and reduce dependency on China and the West. We need to negotiate better deals and engagement terms with the rest of the world.

• Discussions around Africa’s development must not be based on solutions that betray a poverty of ambition and a dearth of imagination.

• We need to recognise the various ways in which we are poor. We have big companies in Africa that have been in existence for 40 odd years and have never expanded abroad or crossed sectors. That is a sign of poverty.

• African governments need to go back to the classrooms. We need to reassess the school curricula and to reorient the youth in high schools and universities on impactful approaches to capitalisation and business models.

• If Africa’s children can succeed and grow to become champions, they must first understand the history of Africa. As we strategise for the African youth to take charge of the development agenda, we need to educate them on the rules of engagement.

• If we want to change anything in Africa for the better, we must first change education.

• We must all become key actors of the change. Development of Africa by non-Africans will not be our saving grace. Each one of us is accountable for the future of Africa.

• All levels of education must be characterised by the pursuit of knowledge for free thought, discourse, and debate, and it must be contextualised to the African setting.

• Africa needs scholars who care deeply about education; a new generation of academics to shape game-changing mindsets, and to serve as the next crop of ethical leaders restoring hope and equitable distribution of resources.

Leadership

• Until we can make Africa work for the people who are worried about their dignity, security, and economic woes, we cannot have the luxury to talk about climate change.

• Early African leaders like Kwame Nkrumah and Julius Nyerere understood the trinity of burden – the burdens of history, international hierarchy, and institutional deficits. This helped them to formulate clear ideals and a vision for the future.

• Ethical leadership is not about class, age, or tribe, but rather a brand-new way of doing pol itics that includes active citizen participation with the goal of improving the welfare of the people.

• To African students in Cambridge and in the UK: “the call to return home is not an easy one to answer, especially when home seems broken beyond repair. But you will be amazed by the contentment and source of satisfaction that awaits you when you contribute to the change we seek.”

• Professionalism, punctuality, and self-discipline are crucial elements for the progressive leadership. Our leadership must evolve into an entity that is sensitive to the needs of the African people.

• Complex challenges require complex strategies towards sustainable and continental solutions beyond any one country.

• We have a collective obligation to Africa’s future and its re-emergence. This demands that we develop an ownership mindset that empowers us all to take our place at the forefront of the process needed to achieve the re-emergence.

Business and Entreprenuership

• The majority of people who succeed in entrepreneurship are those who are well-capitalised, well-connected, and have the right network of people to push them. Without hope, passion, and a great idea, you will fail, but those qualities alone are also not enough to succeed with out the needed capital and the right network.

• The new young African entrepreneur is thinking about how to leverage their passion and turn it into money. You must look out for local brands and investigate how best to leverage and scale it to greater heights.

• Not everyone can be an entrepreneur. Majority of people need decent jobs that will provide a monthly income. We need to be able to create jobs, develop ecosystems out of those jobs, and create a ripple effect of economic growth.

• In their initial recruitment, start-ups must not necessarily employ people who are only looking for a job but must endeavour to bring on people who communicate a purpose that aligns with the team’s goals and values.

• We will neither re-emerge nor take control if we do not have competencies to build the requisite digital infrastructure and put in place ecosystems that can harness the ingenuity of Africa’s diverse youth.

AFROBALL 2022

As the conference came to a close, we all migrated to the Cambridge Hilton for the AfroBall to scratch the itch of dance that had been ignited in us. After the Welcome Address by the Mas ter of Ceremony, we enjoyed a remarkable spoken word performance from Mr Kenneth Aliu, an ASCU member pursuing his MPhil in Criminological Research. Soon, after we had dined, the music was unleashed upon us to celebrate the last hours of the successful day.

Mr Kenneth Aliu, delivering his spoken word piece at the Afro Ball

The Cambridge African Network was one of the key strategic partners for the 2022 Africa To gether Conference. The Cambridge African Network supported the publicity of the conference and arranged the music at the Afro Ball. The reflections of the ASCU Communications Chair and Chair of ASCU’s Home Outreach Initia tive, Martin Wagah, best captures the feeling many of us felt that night: “With a glass of red wine in hand, I watched my African fellows revel in dance and wondered whether this would have been possible in such a place just 100 years ago. I marvelled at this tip of the iceberg before me - of the visible success of the Africa liberation project that started many years ago but acknowledged with unease the vast structure underneath that must have made all this possible. How painful the losses, how grand the sacrifices that must have been made, so that a young man born in the Savannah can congregate with his fellows in a place such as this, while clasping a glass of fine wine in his hand.”

In her closing remarks, our ASCU President and Chair of the Africa Together Conference, Ms Alice Amegah, asserted that “we strongly believe that we have planted over 150 ambassadors of the renewed commitment to Africa’s self-sustaining Agenda across the world.” The Mistress of Ceremonies Afua Hagan, added, “we expect to see these seeds…bloom for the economic, social, and political freedom of our beloved continent, Africa.”

With the revelry continuing till midnight, and participants dancing to the tunes of Afrobeats and Amapiano music, the curtain call was drawn on ATC2022. What a magical night it was!

We cannot help but imagine the expectations that must have been present in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in May 1963 when delegates from 32 African countries convened to chart Africa’s future at the invitation of the Ethiopian Emperor, Haile Selassie. They no doubt dreamt of eco nomic, social, and political freedoms for our beloved continent. Leaders like Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah’s have kept the torch burning by proposing effective machinery for achieving African unity and pursuing a common foreign policy and diplomacy, a common system of defence, a common African citizenship, and an African currency. But these sacrifices have allowed gener ations to pursue an expert education as equals across the globe, so that they may revisit the problem of Africa’s re-emergence while equipped with the best education possible. We know this is progress, yet we also know it is far from good enough. But even though the journey is long and dreary, every step we take leads us closer to our destination. And without a doubt, for Africans at the University of Cambridge, ASCU’s Africa Together Conference 2022 has been one of our biggest steps forward thus far.