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Weekly Events for July 7th - July 11th

Continue reading for some of the events next week in D.C. concerning Africa.

Tuesday July 8thYouth Employment in Sub-Saharan Africa

Hosted by: The Wilson Center

Location: Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, One Woodrow Wilson Plaza, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20004-3027

Time: 2pm-4pm

Summary: More than half of Sub-Saharan Africa's population is under 25 years, and its labor force is expected to increase by 11 million a year over the next decade. Though better educated than their parents, young people often struggle to find pathways to productive employment. The report guides policy makers on how to intervene along the dimensions of human capital and the business environment in three areas - agriculture, household enterprises, and the modern wage sector. The goals are to increase productivity, improve livelihoods, and multiply opportunities for youth.

For More Information Please Visit:  http://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/youth-employment-sub-saharan-africa

Countering Violent Extremism:  A Peacebuilding Lens

Hosted by: Johns Hopkins Univeristy, SAIS

Location: 1740 Massachusetts Ave., NW  Washington DC

Time: 9:30am – 11am

Summary:  Violent extremism is one of the leading threats of the twenty-first century, threatening world stability, and prompting state and international-level interventions. Faced with this growing threat, many governments and international organizations have created strategies based on the immediate priority of maintaining state security and the long-term goal of addressing the core causes that contribute to violent extremism, which involve an array of socio-economic and structural factors, individual experiences, as well as emotional and psychological drivers. Over the past decade, the understanding of how and why individuals engage in violent extremism and terrorism has evolved and become more nuanced, as have the tools to prevent these threats. Countering violent extremism (CVE) refers to the policies, programs, and interventions designed to prevent individuals from engaging in violence associated with radical political, social, cultural, and religious ideologies and groups. Peacebuilders, through their broader agenda of conflict prevention, also focus on countering extremist violence. Violent extremism is a driver of conflict, and violent extremists are often spoilers in peacebuilding efforts. Peacebuilding and CVE work increasingly intersect, though approaches and practice in the two domains often differ.

For More Information Visit: http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/6060/t/0/blastContent.jsp?email_blast_KEY=167055

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Thursday, July 10thSubcommittee Hearing: Human Rights Vetting: Nigeria and Beyond

Hosted by: House Committee on Foreign Affairs

Location: 2172 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515

Time: 2:00pm

Summary: Colonel Peter Aubrey, USA, Retired, President Strategic Opportunities International

Ms. Lauren Ploch Blanchard Specialist in African Affairs, Congressional Research Service

For More Information Please Visit: http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/hearing/subcommittee-hearing-human-rights-vetting-nigeria-and-beyond

Ethiopia's Democratic Transition: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Hosted by: National Endowment for Democracy

Location: 1025 F Street, N.W., Suite 800, Washington, D.C. 20004

Time: 3pm-4:30pm

Summary: In 1991, the Ethiopian Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) claimed power following a bloody civil war that toppled the country's military regime. The EPRDF promised to usher in an era of multi-party democracy and ethnic equality, and to put an end to the command economy. Yet despite the introduction of a new constitution in 1995, the EPRDF has suppressed meaningful democratic change during its two decades in power by institutionalizing a de facto one-party state. The resulting gap between popular expectations and Ethiopia's political reality has increased frustrations among citizens, and ongoing violence, such as recent clashes on university campuses, indicates the depth of unresolved tensions. In his presentation, Merera Gudina Jefi will evaluate the EPRDF regime's performance by outlining the contours of the country's political development and identifying major democratic setbacks. He will offer recommendations for domestic actors, including the Ethiopian government and opposition parties, and for the international community, including the diaspora. His presentation will be followed by comments by Eric Robinson.

For More Information Please Visit: http://www.ned.org/events/ethiopia-democratic-transition-one-step-forward-two-steps-back

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Friday, July 11thBRICS Summit 2014: Agenda and Implications

Hosted by: Brookings Institute

Location: Falk Auditorium, The Brookings Institution,  1775 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.

Time: 10:00am-12:00pm

Summary: Brazil hosts the leaders of Russia, India, China, and South Africa for the 2014 BRICS Summit on July 15-17, days after the end of the World Cup. This BRICS summit will take place against the backdrop of Russia's aggression in Ukraine, the Russia-China gas deal, the election of Narendra Modi in India, the likely establishment of a BRICS Bank, and the Rousseff-Biden talks to improve U.S.-Brazil relations.

On Friday, July 11, the Project on International Order and Strategy at Brookings will host a panel discussion previewing the summit and examining its implications for U.S. foreign policy and the broader international order. Bruce Jones, senior fellow and director of the Project on International Order and Strategy (IOS), will lead the conversation, which will feature Brookings Foreign Policy scholars Fiona Hill, Kenneth Lieberthal, Harold Trinkunas, Tanvi Madan and Thomas Wright.

For More Information Visit: http://www.brookings.edu/events/2014/07/11-brics-summit-2014-agenda-implications

Related Program

Africa Program

The Africa Program works to address the most critical issues facing Africa and US-Africa relations, build mutually beneficial US-Africa relations, and enhance knowledge and understanding about Africa in the United States. The Program achieves its mission through in-depth research and analyses, public discussion, working groups, and briefings that bring together policymakers, practitioners, and subject matter experts to analyze and offer practical options for tackling key challenges in Africa and in US-Africa relations.    Read more