CULTURE AND GLOBAL SECURITY: Analyzing current threats and harnessing opportunities

In our current inter-linked global security environment, new threats and Challenges have created an urgent need for imaginative new responses. At the fourth International Conference on African Culture and Development (ICACD 2011), we are providing the platform for people to share with the world their innovative ideas on how to build a safer world for our current and future generations.

The ICACD Secretariat is hereby calling for intellectual presentations (papers) and expressive arts (performances) that touch on Societal, National or Global security for inclusion in the conference program.

Security Issues In Africa
Africa has experienced a lot of security breaches that has impacted on its development. Indeed security challenges remain a major factor impeding the continent’s development. From Sierra Leone and Liberia to Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) experts have indicated that it will take years to bring these economies back to pre-war times.

Even in countries not at war, tribal and religious tensions exist which sometimes explode with unpleasant consequences on the citizenry. Other security challenges such as armed robbery, violence against women and children are common and even the police men, soldiers and other security forces whose job supposedly is to protect the citizens have all too often been part of the problem.

What are the factors that have led to these civil wars, tensions and other types of societal conflicts in Africa? What are the key security considerations as the continent tries to professionalize their armies, police forces, intelligent services and court systems? Is Mr. Adedeji Ebo’s assertion that Africa’s security forces which started in colonial times ‘were never created to protect Africans’ true? Is it true that our security reforms over the years have centered on technical and logistical issues rather than the fundamental issue of effective security governance and training?

These are the key issues for deliberation during this year’s ICACD conference in Ghana. At ICACD 2011, we take a look at steps being taken by African governments to improve the security on the continent. From a cultural standpoint, we will be discussing the issues that will increase the ability of Africa’s people and their security institutions to safeguard the people of Africa.

Global Security Issues
Global security seems to be threatened by acts of terrorism. Terrorism and its ever changing methods with which orchestrators execute their actions is a serious threat to global peace, security and development.

There is a gradual insurgence of terrorism in Africa particularly in the Sahel-Region. At the Algiers conference about security in the Sahel, economic development of the region was identified as key in curbing terrorism. Are there other key variables? Are there cultural dimensions of terrorism in Africa that needs to be looked at?

Also, the exodus of Africa’s human resource through illegal and unauthorized routes mainly to Europe and other parts of the world is a security concern for the states of Africa as lives are lost and rights abused. While some immigrants survive, others do not make it to their destinations. A blog called Fortress Europe registered the deaths of 1,343 migrants between January and October 2007 alone who died while trying to enter Europe.

Are there other options in addressing this issue aside erecting fences and improving surveillance at borders? What are the potential National and global security threats do African immigrants pose to potential host states? ICACD 2011 is also calling for papers/ideas on the conference sub-themes:
1. Water and food security in Africa.
2. Post Independent Africa: Cultural Imperatives for Development’.
3. Africa's Future Direction: the role and significance of the Diaspora.

ABOUT ICACD 2011
ICACD 2011 will be an interdisciplinary conference of Academics, artists, cultural and development workers, Government agencies and policy makers, traditional authorities and all people committed to working to see the development of Africa a reality. 

ICACD 2011 presents a unique position for Africans and the rest of the world to input into action the cultural perspective of the continent’s development challenges. As with ICACD conferences, each participant will be given the opportunity to actively participate in the discussion and to take the energy and ideas generated back home. The future of Africans is in the hands of each of us.