Kampala Geopolitics Conference 2024

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African countries face the challenge of balancing environmental commitments with socio-economic imperatives, particularly as global environmental policies strain limited resources and divert attention from development needs like healthcare, education, and infrastructure. Nations reliant on fossil fuels, such as Nigeria and Angola, experience economic challenges from restrictions on fossil fuel investments. However, renewable energy projects like South Africa's REIPPPP and Kenya's geothermal advancements demonstrate that sustainable initiatives can drive economic growth while reducing environmental impacts. Additionally, climate-smart agriculture in Ethiopia and Rwanda, as well as eco-tourism in Kenya and Tanzania, highlight pathways for boosting food security, supporting local communities, and preserving ecosystems. Examples like Morocco's Noor Solar Project and Ghana's Green Climate Fund initiatives illustrate how countries can integrate sustainability into their development agendas. Panellists will explore strategies for scaling these successes across Africa, harmonising economic growth with environmental sustainability.

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Nobel Peace Prize awarded Nadia Murad and Dr Denis Mukwege; International Forums on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence all contribute to making the fight against impunity a priority on the international agenda. Since 2002, the year of entry into force of the Rome Statute which is the main instrument supporting humanitarian law and human rights, the civil war in Eastern-DRC has caused millions of direct and indirect victims. The scale of violence inflicted on women displaced by the war is well documented.

On 4^th February 2021, the International Criminal Court declared Dominic Ongwen, one of the leaders of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), guilty of 61 crimes against humanity, and among them was the newly recognised crime of “forced pregnancy”. During armed conflicts, sexual violence is used as a weapon and is part and parcel of conflict strategy. It has become endemic and almost systematic in contemporary conflicts.  Such violence is a violation of international humanitarian law and human rights. It is a deep and singular trauma, with multidimensional and long-term consequences for the victims. Unfortunately, such abuses still go largely unpunished, partly because they are part of a wider system involving the geopolitical, military, and economic spheres.

The panel will discuss the leverage provided by the International Criminal Court in such cases. We will examine how, in a fragile environment, access to justice remains a real challenge. We will also reflect on the tools that can help survivors in combating impunity, human rights violations and mitigate gender-based violence in future conflicts.

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The armed conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has now lasted for one and a half years. What seemed in the beginning like a mere power struggle between two military leaders has deepened regional tensions, caused a severe humanitarian crisis, and attracted foreign military support. The war in Sudan has, however, been overshadowed by other wars in Europe and the Middle East drawing little attention from international actors. Even the numerous mediation attempts have collapsed without key outcomes. What are the scenarios for Sudan as the conflict approaches the third year? What role can Uganda play in order to foster a ceasefire?

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For more than two decades countering jihadism and Islamist terrorism has been priority on the security agendas of African countries.  The franchising of indigenous militant groups to established jihadist organisations like al-Qaeda and the Islamic State has been a global concern. What has been a phenomenon in both Western and Eastern Africa, is the failure of the states to counter these groups militarily, economically, and ideologically.  The cases of Somalia, Nigeria and Mali depict this growing trend. Does al-Shabaab stand to exploit the recent turmoil in the Horn of Africa and the Middle East to stage a come-back in Somalia? Does the resurgence of Boko Haram and other emerging militant groups reinforce the calls for a separatist Islamic state in Nigeria? How does the shift in alliances in Mali affect the government’s counterterrorism efforts and how are the Islamist organisations responding?

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The ongoing exploitation and development of Uganda’s oil resources has the potential to reshaping the ecological, socio-economic, and political geography of Uganda and the Great Lakes sub-region in a manner previously unimagined. The scale of the investments, the range and diversity of actors and the current structure of power relations makes the oil sub-sector the single most important game changer in the pursuit of societal transformation in Uganda and the sub-region.

Since the discovery of commercially viable quantities of oil, the Government of Uganda has made progress in putting in place the governance infrastructure, especially in the form of institutions and laws to foster the development of oil resources. The government envisages the flow of oil revenues to buttress its efforts towards the consolidation of public finance and debt repayment. Government has also raised the hopes of Ugandans by promising to invest in expanding the delivery of health services, access to quality education, etc. Substantial oil revenue could also fuel the much-needed investment in expanding economic opportunities for a burgeoning youth population that can be potentially destabilising in distressing economic conditions.

The conference will address the following challenges and questions, among others:

• Building an oil economy that works for citizens – How operational is this revenue governance structure? Are there adequate and functional transparency mechanisms and accountability safeguards? Can the legislated oil governance regime be effective in the light of the rate of corruption in the country? How should the Ugandan economy be positioned in the oil value chain?
• Uganda’s geopolitical position – How will oil resources reshape Ugandans regional and global geopolitical posture?
• Harnessing the youth demographic –To what extent is Uganda’s population, especially young people engaged in the discourse on the governance of oil resources? Will the flow of oil revenues help expand or shrink the democratic space?

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The global economic landscape is shifting as emerging powers like China, India, and Brazil increase their influence, particularly in Africa. China, Africa's largest trading partner, with over $200 billion in annual trade, has made significant investments in infrastructure projects like Kenya’s Mombasa-Nairobi Railway. India's engagement with Africa is also growing, with bilateral trade reaching $70 billion in 2022, and investments in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, energy, and agriculture. Initiatives like the Pan-African e-Network Project demonstrate India's commitment to enhancing education and healthcare in Africa. Despite these emerging ties, traditional partnerships with Europe, the USA, and the UK remain vital, with trade volumes of over €280 billion with the EU, $50 billion with the USA, and $32 billion with the UK. These long-standing partners continue to provide critical markets for African exports like oil and minerals. The panel will discuss how Africa can balance new alliances with emerging powers and traditional partners to foster sustainable development, examining key examples like China's infrastructure investments, India’s technological projects, and Europe’s trade agreements to enhance Africa’s global economic positioning.

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