Events for the Week of January 13 – 17

Continue reading for some of the events this week in D.C. concerning Africa.
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MONDAY, January 13, 2014
Maternal Health and HIV: Global Priorities for Research and Action
Hosted by: The Wilson Center's Global Sustainability and Resilience Program
Location: 5th Floor Conference Room, The Wilson Center
1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20004
Time: 12:00pm – 4:00pm
Summary:  HIV and complications in childbearing remain the leading causes of death among women of reproductive age around the globe. Approximately one-quarter of deaths among pregnant and postpartum women in sub-Saharan Africa are due to HIV.  Improving maternal health in the context of the epidemic requires a greater understanding of the relationships between HIV and maternal morbidity and mortality; integrated and effective responses by health systems; and social context which promotes quality care and encourages the use of HIV and maternal health care services. Research and evaluation from the maternal health and HIV communities can increase collaboration and provide a powerful impetus that strengthens political constituencies and communities of practice in both areas. Join us as we host two panels on the issues surrounding maternal health and women living with HIV.

12:00 pm - 2:00 pm: Creating a Comprehensive Research and Evaluation Agenda for Maternal Health and HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa

2:00 pm - 4:00 pm: Addressing HIV Stigma and Preventing Disrespect and Abuse: Global Insights to Improve Maternal Health and Promote Reproductive Rights

For more information, please visit: http://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/maternal-health-and-hiv-global-priorities-for-research-and-action

TUESDAY, January 14, 2014
Ground Truth Briefing: 'South Sudan: A Way to End Conflict?'
Hosted by: The Wilson Center's Africa Program
Location: This meeting will be via conference call only. To join this call, please see below:  
Toll-Free Conference Line: 888.947.9018 (Toll Free/Domestic)
Conference Line: 517.308.9006 (Toll/International)
Passcode: 13304
Time: 9:30am-10:30am
Witnesses: Simmering political and ethnic rivalries in South Sudan have erupted in open conflict. Over a thousand people have been killed, and many hundreds of thousands more have been displaced, seeking refuge in Uganda, Sudan or UN camps in South Sudan. Peace talks between the rebels and government in Addis Ababa have stalled. Does this mean that South Sudan has failed? Can the talks produce a truce and meaningful discussion of the way ahead? How can the international community play a more constructive role? Join us by phone with experts on the ground in South Sudan to share ideas on the way forward.

Participants:
Jok Madut Jok, Assistant Professor of History at Loyola Marymount University and a Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Center

Lual Deng, Member of South Sudan National Legislative Assembly and Managing Director of Ebony Center for Strategic Studies

Moderator: Ambassador Alan Goulty, Global Fellow, Wilson Center, Co-Chair, Wilson Center's Sudan Working Group and Former British Ambassador to Sudan and Tunisia

To RSVP, please visit: http://pages.wilsoncenter.org/01142014SouthSudanAWaytoEndConflict.html

WEDNESDAY, January 15, 2014
Hearing: South Sudan's Broken Promise?
Hosted by: U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs Development & Governance, Sub-Saharan Africa
Location: Rayburn House Office Building, Room 217245
Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC
Time: 10:00am
Witnesses:
The Honorable Linda Thomas-Greenfield
Assistant Secretary
Bureau of African Affairs
U.S. Department of State

The Honorable Earl W. Gast
Assistant Administrator
Bureau for Africa
U.S. Agency for International Development

For more information, please visit: http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/hearing/hearing-south-sudan-s-broken-promise

Zimbabwe's Military and the Prospects for Democratic Reform
Hosted by: National Endowment for Democracy
Location: 1025 F Street, N.W. Suite 800
Washington, D.C. 20004
Time: 4:00pm-5:30pm
Summary: Since gaining independence in 1980, Zimbabwe has witnessed a progressively larger role for the military in the country's political life. President Robert Mugabe's regime has militarized state institutions in an attempt to consolidate political power. Zimbabwe's militarization has been integral to the regime's effort to establish a one-party political system and to resist democratic change in the face of growing opposition. In recent years, the military has become an agent of political violence, actively undermining Zimbabwe's struggle to achieve democratic progress. In his presentation, Charles Mangongera will explore the influence of the military in shaping political developments in Zimbabwe, especially during the last five years of the power-sharing government and the recent elections. He will offer recommendations for international actors, civil society, and the Zimbabwean government on how to reform civil-military relations along democratic lines. His presentation will be followed by comments byEric Robinson.

For more information, please visit: http://ned.org/events/zimbabwes-military-and-the-prospects-for-democratic-reform

One-time Miracle or Exemplar: What are the lessons of Mandela's legacy and South Africa's transition for other countries?
Hosted by: United States Institute of Peace
Location: 2301 Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC
Time: 2:00pm
Summary:  South Africa's remarkable transition from apartheid to majority rule in the 1990s has often been referenced as a model for other countries in need of significant reform and grappling with a bloody past.  The recent passing of Nelson Mandela has renewed interest in the country's transformation.  But there remain unanswered questions concerning whether the processes that worked in South Africa and lessons learned are applicable in other contexts.  Can the South African experience be replicated?  Twenty years after Mandela was elected president, is the South African model still relevant in today's world?  What messages do the transition leaders have for countries struggling with their own transitions? Please join USIP and Beyond Conflict for a discussion of these questions and more with some of the key negotiators during the transition, from both the African National Congress and National Party.

Panelists
Roelf Meyer
Former Chief National Party Negotiator and Minister of Constitutional Affairs

Mohammed Bhabha
Chairperson of Senate Select Committee on Constitutional Affairs and former ANC negotiator

Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool
Republic of South Africa Ambassador to the United States

Tim Phillips, Introductory Remarks
Chairman and Co-Founder, Beyond Conflict

Ambassador Princeton Lyman, Moderator
Senior Advisor, U.S. Institute of Peace & former U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of South Africa

For more information, please visit: http://www.usip.org/events/one-time-miracle-or-exemplar