January 14, 2013 Events

Continue reading for this week's events concerning Africa in D.C.

MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 2013
Exploring the Role of Agriculture in Driving Economic Growth in Post Conflict Environments
Hosted by: Society for International Development
Location: Creative Associates International
5301 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 700, Washington, DC
Time: 1:00pm - 5:30pm
Summary: SID-Washington's Food Security and Agriculture workgroup hosts a joint event with Creative Associates for a program focused on the "Exploring the Role of Agriculture in Driving Economic Growth in Post-Conflict Environments."

This is a follow-on to last year's USAID EGAT workshop and will focus on the role of agriculture in stimulating economic recovery in post-conflict settings. Case studies from Iraq, Rwanda, Yemen, and Gaza will review the evidence related to the USAID Manual "A Guide to Economic Growth in Post-Conflict Countries". Colleagues from USAID, FAO, area universities, and other implementing organizations will be participating. Jay Smith, co-author of the USAID Manual, will moderate.
For more information or to RSVP, please visit:http://wdcsid.memberclicks.net/index.php?option=com_mc&view=mc&mcid=72&eventId=376841

Two Years Later: Assessing Tunisia's Progress since the Jasmine Revolution
Hosted by: Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies
Location: Johns Hopkins SAIS - Bernstein-Offit Building
1717 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. Room 500
Time: 5:30pm - 7:00pm
Summary: On January 14, 2011, Ben Ali was forced to leave Tunisia by a popular uprising commonly known as the Jasmine Revolution. This historic event triggered mass protests that would sweep the Arab world, forcing other longstanding authoritarian leaders from power and potentially transforming the region. Since that time, Tunisia has witnessed the country's first free and fair elections, the emergence of new political parties and coalitions, and the many difficulties of maintaining stability amid an uncertain political transition. On the second anniversary of this historic moment, it is important to assess Tunisia's progress in its difficult transition to democracy and examine the prospects and challenges that lie ahead.
For more information or to RSVP, please visit:http://pomed.org/pomed-event-two-years-later-assessing-tunisias-progress-since-the-jasmine-revolution/

TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2013
Supporting Peace in Senegal: The Casamance Peace Initiative
Hosted by: The CSIS Program on Crisis, Conflict, and Cooperation
Location: B1C Conference Room, CSIS
1800 K St. NW, Washington, DC 20006
Time: 9:00-10:30AM
Summary: Please join us for a panel discussion of the U.S. role in Senegal's efforts to bring peace to its 30-year conflict in the Casamance. The March 2012 election of President Sall opened a critical window for peace, but violence could resume if timely gains are not made. Ambassador Jim Bullington and Colonel Abdourahmane Kebe will lead a discussion on recent progress towards peace, key next steps, and the unique and synergistic relationships between key partners. C3 director Robert D. Lamb will moderate.
Space is limited. Please RSVP to: ahalterman@csis.org

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2013
Director's Forum: The United States – Africa Partnership: The Last Four Years and Beyond
Hosted by: The Wilson Center
Location: One Woodrow Wilson Plaza - 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20004-3027, 6th floor
Time: 2:00 – 3:00pm
Summary: In partnership with the U.S. Department of State, the Wilson Center's Africa Program presents, "The United States – Africa Partnership: The Last Four Years and Beyond" on Wednesday, January 16, 2013 from 2:00 – 3:30pm in the 6th Floor Flom Auditorium.  This event will feature the U.S. Department of State's Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Ambassador Johnnie Carson, delivering a major address on U.S. Foreign Policy as it relates to the continent. Ambassador Carson will review the progress the United States and Africa have made together over the last four years in addressing Africa's challenges and unlocking the continent's potential, and will look ahead to some of the challenges Africa will face going forward.  Steve McDonald, Director of the Africa Program and the Project on Leadership and Building State Capacity at the Wilson Center, will moderate the discussion.
For more information or to RSVP, please visit:http://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/directors-forum-the-united-states-%E2%80%93-africa-partnership-the-last-four-years-and-beyond

Impact of Private Health Insurance on Health Care Utilization in Nigeria
Hosted by: Center for Global Development
Location: 1800 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20036
Time: 12:00pm - 1:30pm
Summary: Can community-based health insurance for the poor increase access to health care and reduce the economic burden of disease? Emily Gustafsson-Wright and Jacques van der Gaag will present micro-evidence from a private health insurance intervention in a rural part of Kwara State. This program, launched in 2009, offers a unique combination of subsidized health insurance, a comprehensive benefit package and access to high-quality health facilities. The study finds that the intervention not only increases utilization of health care among the insured (as well as in the treatment community overall), but that it also increases utilization of quality health care. In addition, the insurance intervention leads to a significant reduction in out-of-pocket expenditures on health and appears to increase awareness of health status. Finally, the results point to a decline in prevalence of measured hypertension among the insured. Additional analysis finds that impacts are heterogeneous across the population with greater impacts on the insured poor.
For more information or to RSVP, please visit:http://www.cgdev.org/content/calendar/detail/1426842

Maternal Health in Nigeria: Progress is Possible
Hosted by: Center for Strategic and International Studies
Location: Center for Strategic and International Studies
1800 K Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20006
Time: 3:00pm
Summary: Nigeria today remains one of the 10 most dangerous countries in the world for a woman to give birth, accounting for an estimated 14 percent of maternal deaths worldwide each year. But despite these bleak national statistics, there are signs of growing opportunity. In recent years, the federal government has devoted greater policy attention and resources to maternal health than previously, and a handful of state governments are beginning to tackle the challenge in a strategic and comprehensive way.

In Ondo State, the Abiye (Safe Motherhood) program is winning praise as one such promising model, creating incentives for expectant mothers to seek care and for health providers to deliver quality services. Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko, a medical doctor and architect of the Abiye model, will describe the program's achievements to date and challenges ahead. Dinesh Nair, World Bank senior health specialist for Nigeria, will describe the Bank's "results-based financing" pilot program in Ondo. Murtala Mai, former country director for Nigeria, for Pathfinder International, will describe the broader maternal health trends in the country.
For more information or to RSVP, please visit:http://csis.org/event/maternal-health-nigeria-progress-possible
Please RSVP to Patrick Pratt at: africa@csis.org

THURSDAY, JANUARY 17, 2013
The Future of Governance in Somalia
Hosted by: The Center for Strategic and International Studies
Location: B1 Conference Center, CSIS
1800 K St. NW, Washington, DC 20006
Time: 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Summary: Hassan Sheikh Mahamud was elected president by Somalia's newly formed parliament in September 2012, becoming the first permanent Somali president since 1991. He now faces the daunting task of rebuilding a nation torn by decades of conflict and restoring the legitimacy of the state and its institutions in the eyes of the Somali people. With the al Shabaab insurgency in retreat and regional partners fully engaged, many observers see a rare opportunity for Somalia to turn a page on its chaotic past. Please join the CSIS Africa Program as we host President Hassan Sheikh for a discussion of Somalia's progress and prospects in the coming year.
Seating is very limited. No onsite registrants will be accepted.
Please RSVP to Farha Tahir at: africa@csis.org

FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013
Building Police Institutions in Fragile States
Hosted by: Center for Strategic and International Studies
Location: 1800 K Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20006
Time: 12:30pm
Summary: The police are one of Africa's most important yet most neglected institutions. They are undermined by unprofessionalism, political interference, and low levels of public trust. This is particularly true in countries emerging from conflict. The United States is trying to help but progress is often hampered by limited funds, unclear objectives, and bureaucratic confusion. Please join us to hear about the challenges and share ideas about potential solutions. The discussion will draw on recent field work conducted by CSIS in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and South Sudan. A light lunch will be served.
For more information, please visit:http://dc.linktank.com/event/building_police_institutions_in_fragile_states#.UPQUeoPAfTo
Please RSVP to Julius Wani at: africa@csis.org