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News from the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Foundation in English.

Call for Papers for the International Colloquium on African Integration – 18 10 2022

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THE FÉLIX HOUPHOUËT-BOIGNY UNIVERSITY OF COCODY, THE SAINT JEAN-PAUL II UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF YAMOUSSOUKRO, THE IVORIAN ASSOCIATION OF PHILOSOPHY PROFESSORS AND THE FÉLIX HOUPHOUËT-BOIGNY FOUNDATION ARE ORGANIZING THE INTERNATIONAL COLLOQUIUM ON AFRICAN INTEGRATION ON THE THEME: “FROM THE VISION OF THE FATHERS OF INDEPENDENCE TO THE CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS OF A PROJECT“

YAMOUSSOUKRO, IVORY COAST OCTOBER 18-21, 2022

CALL FOR PAPERS

The end of slavery and the slave trade saw the birth of a pan-Africanist movement in the United States and Europe in the early nineteenth century. This movement was initiated by black American and Caribbean intellectuals and politicians, among whom we can mention Edward Wilmot Blyden, Antenor Firmin, William Edward Burghardt Du Bois. The goal of the initiators was the realization of an integrated political organization of all the nations and peoples of Africa, especially since, for them, as Niamkey Koffi emphasizes, “the peoples of Africa and the Diaspora share a common history and destiny and (…) their social, economic and political progress is linked to their unity “1.

This ideal of unity was to be found at the genesis of the Organization of African Unity (OAU). However, among African leaders, there were “radicals” who favored a break with the Western world, and “moderates” who favored maintaining relations with capitalist states. It was in this context of internal divisions that the International Conference of Independent African States, organized in Addis Ababa in 1962, established the position of the “moderates”, led by Félix Houphouët-Boigny. The Organization of African Unity (OAU), born from this conference, includes the continental African States, Madagascar and the other neighbouring islands of Africa. Its objective was to strengthen the unity and solidarity of African states, to defend their sovereignty, to eliminate colonialism in all its forms and finally to promote international cooperation. With the consecration of the position of the moderates, the fathers of the African independence opted for an integration which should be concretized by successive stages as well at the level of the various fields of the human activity as within the framework of the regional communities such as envisaged by the Resolution CM/Res.464 (XXVII) of the Council of Ministers of the OAU “relating to the division of Africa into five (5) regions, namely: North Africa, West Africa, Central Africa, East Africa and Southern Africa”.

1 Niamkey Koffi, “Houphouët-Boigny, l’homme de culture et le panafricaniste”, in Editions de la fondation Félix Houphouët-Boigny, 2021, pp. 18-19.

These different regions are required to operationalize, within their territorial jurisdiction, the various resolutions adopted at the continental level, in order to achieve, by 2063, the vision of the African Union (AU): an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, managed by its own citizens, “a continent politically united and founded on the ideals of Pan-Africanism and the vision of the Renaissance of Africa”2.

In the realization of the African integration project, numerous Resolutions were adopted by the Assembly of Heads of State, including the “Lagos Plan of Action “3 for the implementation of the Monrovia Strategy for the Economic Development of Africa. Chapter 2 of this plan stipulates that “in their development plans, Member States shall give a decisive role to industrialization for its effects on the satisfaction of the basic needs of the populations, the integration of the economy and the modernization of society (…) and shall proclaim the years 80-90 as the Decade of Industrial Development in Africa”4. The year 2000 should allow the creation of “an African Economic Community to ensure the economic, social and cultural integration of our continent”5.

At the regional level, the various Communities have also adopted measures and resolutions that should contribute to the advent of this integrated Africa. This is the case, for example, with the ECOWAS Vision 20206, adopted by the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the region in June 2007 in Abuja, Nigeria. This vision calls for the transformation of ECOWAS of states into an ECOWAS of peoples, an ECOWAS “without borders where the people have access to the abundant resources and are able to exploit them through the creation of opportunities in a
This ECOWAS vision, which is supposed to replace Vision 2020, reaffirms the relevance of the institution of a people’s ECOWAS by emphasizing the respect of fundamental freedoms within the framework of strong institutions. Adopted by the Members of the ECOWAS Parliament, meeting in plenary on December 4, 2021 in Abuja, during the second ordinary session of 2021, Vision 2050 intends to achieve, by 2050, “a fully integrated community of peoples in a peaceful and prosperous region with strong institutions that respect fundamental freedoms and work towards inclusive and sustainable development.

2 African Union, Agenda 2063. The Africa We Want, Aspiration 2. https://au.int/sites/default/files/documents/33126-doc 06_the_vision_english.pdf.
3 2nd Extraordinary Session of the Summit Conference of Heads of State and Government on Economic Issues, held in Lagos, Nigeria, from 20 to 29 April 1990.
4 Lagos Plan, Chapter: “Industry”, Introduction, point 52.
5 Preamble of the Treaty signed on June 3, 1991 in Abuja, Nigeria.
6 Community of West African States.

After more than sixty years of independence of African countries and implementation of the policy of African integration adopted by the fathers of independence, the Yamoussoukro symposium wants to take stock of the situation and question the hopes raised and the objectives aimed at, in order to open up avenues for solutions.
International and interdisciplinary, this symposium will bring together : Philosophers, Historians, Sociologists, Geographers, Jurists, Economists, Political scientists, Politicians, National, Regional and Sub regional Institutions, Linguists, Anthropologists, Ethnologists, etc….

This scientific meeting will be held from October 18 to 21, 2022 at the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Foundation for Peace Research, around the following axes

Axis 1: History of African integration

  • The origins of the concept of African integration
  • The vision of the Fathers of Independence
  • Regional organizations and African integration

Axis 2: Assessment of African integration

  • Political aspects of African integration
  • The economic project
  • Socio-cultural integration

Axis 3: Challenges and issues of African integration

  • Sovereignty, governance and security challenges
  • The mastery of knowledge and technology
  • The conditions for true socio-cultural integration and economic independence
  • Ecological challenges, the new multipolar order and capital formation

Objectives :

  • To know the history of African integration and the community instruments
  • Take stock of sixty years of integration in a multidimensional way
  • To provide answers to new challenges that tend to weaken the acts of integration.

SUBMISSION STANDARDS AND TIMELINE

May 31, 2022: deadline for submission of paper proposals. Proposals, followed by an abstract of no more than 300 words, should be sent to the Scientific Committee of the Colloquium, at the address below.

They must be written in Word only (Times New Roman, 14, line spacing 1.15, justified), in the form of an abstract with the title of the paper, the axis and sub-theme of registration, the name of the author, his/her rank or function, his/her organization, his/her e-mail address, and his/her telephone number.

June 15, 2022: notification of acceptance or not of the abstract by the Committee.

August 15, 2022: deadline for sending the final papers

September 15, 2022: Sending of invitation letters.

October 18-21, 2022: International colloquium at the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Foundation for Peace Research, in Yamoussoukro.

Proposals for papers, with titles and abstracts, in French, are received until May 31, 2022 at the following address: colloqueintegrationafciyakro22@gmail.com

Telephone contact: +225 0102268222 (WhatsApp)

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Call for Contributions for the Seventh Issue of the Haris Review to be published in September 2022

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For its Seventh Issue to be published in September 2022, the Haris Review is looking for contributions on topics of International Relations, Geopolitics or Strategic Studies. Articles should be substantive and original. The standards of presentation of the manuscripts are those of the CAMES (to be consulted on the website of the journal www.revueharis.org). The manuscript must be between 5,000 and 8,000 words long and must include the full name of the author(s), the name of the institution to which the author(s) belong(s), the email address, a photo of the author(s) in ID format and an abstract in French and English of 300 words maximum with 7 keywords.
E-mails (to be sent simultaneously): cerriuao01@gmail.com, contact1@revueharis.org

Calendar
Call for papers: July 1st, 2022
Deadline for submission of articles: September 5, 2022
Return to authors after instruction: September 20, 2022
Return of corrected articles: September 27, 2022
Publication: September 30, 2022

Fees
Instruction : 25.000 F CFA (39 Euros)
Publication : 40.000 F CFA (61 Euros)

Contact: Dr. SILUE Nahoua Karim Tel (+225) 07 08 33 00 53 (WhatsApp) for the modalities of payment of the fees and all useful information.

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Call for Papers for the symposium on the topic: « twenty years after the war in Ivory Coast: thinking about the crisis in times of peace »

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Organized by the Research Group of Strategists in Ivory Coast (GRESCI) and Félix
Houphouët-Boigny University in collaboration with the Félix Houphouët-Boigny
Foundation and the Institute for Strategic Research of the Military School (IRSEM).

CALL FOR PAPERS

GRESCI and FHB University are pleased to partner with the Félix Houphouët-Boigny
Foundation and IRSEM to hold a symposium to analyze the legacy of the Ivorian crisis, with
an emphasis on current and future dynamics, through looking back twenty years after the
outbreak of the civil war on September 19, 2002. This conference will take place from
September 19 to 21, 2022 at the headquarters of the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Foundation for
Peace Research in Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast.

Twenty years after beginning of the war in Côte d’Ivoire, it is beneficial in time of peace to
draw lessons from the war. Ivory Coast had been for a long time an island of stability in West
Africa marked by instability. But the country entered a phase of crises which led to the start of
a politico-military crisis on September 19, 200, which lasted for a decade. The long negotiation
process initiated by the Economic Community of West African States at the beginning of the
war gradually opened up to various actors, but was unable to spare the country from a deadly
end to the crisis. Indeed, the 2010 presidential election, which was supposed to bring peace and
democracy, increased divisions while exposing the fragilities of a decade of crises. On April
11, 2011, more than 3,000 deaths ended the tragic page of the war in the country.

Ended, the word seems strong as war transforms societies and has a lasting impact on the
progress of a nation. In fact, the Ivorian crisis seems to be an ideal terrain for understanding the
complexity of civil wars and for analyzing post-crisis reconstruction approaches which, beyond
economic performance, are rooted in democracy, the preservation of freedoms and citizenship.
The writings and productions on the subject have shown the particularities of the Ivorian case
as a land of immigration, of tensions between democratic openness and authoritarian practices,
in a context of particularly strong ties between France and Ivory Coast.

The crisis itself called into question Ivorian strategic choices in terms of defense and diplomacy,
the role of France and, more broadly, of the international community – including pan-African
institutions – in conflict prevention and management. International actors and institutions have
been at the heart of conflict management and the post-conflict reconstruction process, both in
terms of justice with the International Criminal Court, peace and security through the role of
the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire and the French Licorne operation, and in terms
of economic recovery with the Bretton Woods institutions, the European Union, and the United
States, among others. Beyond international action, the local dynamics of post-crisis
reconstruction have been the subject of much research. Paradoxically, the crisis was a catalyst
for synergies and mobilization of energies that gave rise to a tremendous artistic and cultural
activity, of which the coupe-decalé was one of its exemplification. In short, war and peace in
Ivory Coast is the product of a dual local and international logic, whose causes and effects are intertwined.
What lessons can be drawn from the years of the Ivorian crisis and post-conflict reconstruction? Which of yesterday’s dynamics have disappeared, which have persisted? How does the trajectory of the Ivorian crisis and post-crisis period fit into the history of West African civil conflicts? The importance of Côte d’Ivoire in the subregion and the interest in the study of conflicts have encouraged the production of several books, articles and other reflections on the crisis in Côte d’Ivoire. However, two decades after the beginning of the war, there is a need for a global reflection mobilizing practitioners and researchers, looking globally at its various facets.
The organizers invite researchers and practitioners to submit abstracts of 250 words specifying the axis in which they wish to intervene. Please send contributions in French or English, from April 15 to May 20, 2022 and to the following address: colloquevingtansciv@gmail.com.

Within the framework of this symposium, the following themes are envisaged:
– Axis 1. Origin and causes of the Ivorian crisis and beyond, what remains of it today?
– Axis 2. Living at the pace of war: mutations, political life, freedoms and human rights, relationships to the sub-region, arts, rebel governance, living in war in government territories and scientific productions.
– Axis 3. International actors during war and reconciliation in Ivory Coast: UN, France, ECOWAS, AU, Licorne operation, UNOCI, ICC, high-level personalities, development aid actors.
– Axis 4. Consequences and mutations linked to the conflict: living the post-conflict, reconfigurations of the social order, ex-combatants, post-conflict socio-economic transformations, local power in the post-war period, youth and social mobilizations.
– Axis 5. Reconstructing and reconciling in Côte d’Ivoire: economic and social aspects, diplomacy and defense, justice, democracy and citizenship, territorial equilibrium and state presence.
– Axis 6. Questioning the post-conflict model: good practices, liberal models, justice.
Please also note that contributors should approach their institution to obtain funding to attend the conference. Some limited funds will be available to support colleagues whose proposals are accepted, but this cannot be guaranteed at this time.

Call for papers for the Colloquium on the theme “Twenty years after the war in Côte d’Ivoire: thinking about the crisis in times of peace”

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GRESCI and FHB University are pleased to join forces with the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Foundation and IRSEM to hold a colloquium aimed at analyzing the legacy of the Ivorian crisis, with an emphasis on current and future dynamics, via this return to the past. twenty years after the outbreak of the civil war on September 19, 2002 This colloquium will take place from September 19 to 21, 2022 at the headquarters of the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Foundation for Peace Research in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire.

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Call for contributions for the sixth issue of the Haris Review to be published in June 2022

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For its Sixth Issue to be published in June 2022, the Haris Review is looking for contributions on the themes of International Relations, Geopolitics or Strategic Studies. Articles should be substantive and original. The standards of presentation of the manuscripts are those of the CAMES (to be consulted on the website of the journal www.revueharis.org). The manuscript must be between 5000 and 8000 words long and must include the full name of the author(s), the name of the institution to which the author(s) belong(s), the email address, a photo of the author(s) in ID format and an abstract in French and English of 300 words maximum with 7 keywords.
E-mails: (to be sent simultaneously): contact1@revueharis.org and cerriuao01@gmail.com.

Calendar
Call for papers: April 1, 2022
Deadline for submission of papers: June 5, 2022
Return to authors after instruction: June 20, 2022
Return of corrected articles: June 27, 2022
Publication: June 30, 2022

Fees
Instruction : 25.000 F CFA (39 Euros)
Publication : 40.000 F CFA (61 Euros)

Contact: Dr. SILUE Nahoua Karim Phone: (+225) 07 08 33 00 53 (WhatsApp) for the modalities of payment of the fees and all useful information.

Download the PDF version (in french)

PROGRAM OF ACTIVITIES OF THE FHB FOUNDATION FOR THE YEAR 2022

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MARCH 2022
– Training seminar for the staff of the Foundation on the theme: “Training in the culture of peace through exemplarity”.
– March 24 and 25, 2022: Training seminar for members of the Association of Muslim Pupils and Students of Côte d’Ivoire (AEEMCI) of the Aries region, on the theme: “Education in the values of the culture of peace, citizen initiatives and youth leadership in a reconciled and peaceful society”.

APRIL 2022
– April 7, 2022: Training seminar for the Messengers of Peace of the Coffi Gadeau Modern High School of Tiébissou on the theme: “Mobilization of students around the values of the culture of peace for a peaceful school environment”.
– Training seminar for the municipal councilors of Béttié on the theme: “The culture of peace, democratic citizenship and mutual understanding in a reconciled society”.
– Training seminar for young leaders of associations and political parties in the commune of Béttié on the theme: “Training of young people in civic-mindedness, citizenship and the culture of peace”.
– From April 27 to 29, 2022: Training seminar for photographers who are members of the Humanism Union of the Autonomous District of Yamoussoukro, on the theme: “Training of photographers in reconciliation and the culture of peace”.
– Awareness campaign on non-violence, forgiveness and social cohesion for opinion leaders, presidents of women’s organizations and youth presidents of the department of Toulepleu.
– From April 13 to May 18, 2022: High School Ivoironie Contest (Sponsored by the FHB Foundation)

MAY 2022
– Training seminar for the youth of Marahoué (Bouaflé) on the theme: “Youth civic engagement, diversity, mutual understanding and culture of peace in a reconciled society”.

JUNE 2022
– Awareness campaign on non-violence, forgiveness and social cohesion in the department of Taï
– Training seminar for members of the road transport professional unions and associations (RENABEC), on the theme: “Civic-mindedness, social dialogue, peace values and leadership for quality transport in a reconciled society”.
– Study visit of political science students from the Alassane Ouattara University of Bouaké: training in the culture of peace and visit of the FHB Foundation
– Itinerant Doctoral School (Research Institute on the Contemporary Maghreb in partnership with the University Félix Houphouët-Boigny and the FHB Foundation)

JULY 2022
– Training seminar for the members of the Peace Clubs of the universities and colleges of Côte d’Ivoire, on the theme: “Equipping oneself to speak well about the culture of peace in the university environment”.

AUGUST 2022
– From August 16 to 22, 2022: 4th edition of the Intercultural Youth Forum for the Future (FIIJA), on the theme: “Undertaking Peace: Capacity Building of Young Promoters of Peace in Peace Management and Project Financing”, for 200 young promoters of peace from different African countries.

SEPTEMBER 2022
– Awareness campaign on non-violence, forgiveness and social cohesion in the department of Bloléquin
– September 21, 2022: International Day of Peace
– Symposium on the theme: “Twenty years after the war in Côte d’Ivoire: thinking about the crisis in times of peace”, organized by the Groupe de Recherche des Stratégistes de Côte d’Ivoire (GRESCI) and the Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny in collaboration with the Fondation Félix Houphouët-Boigny and the Strategic Research Institute of the Ecole Militaire (IRSEM)

OCTOBER 2022
– From October 15 to 17, 2022: International Symposium on the theme: “Africa in international relations” in homage to Professor Kouassi Yao co-organized by the history departments of the University Félix Houphouët-Boigny, the University Alassane Ouattara and the FHB Foundation
– October 18 and 19, 2022: Celebration of the Anniversary of the Birth of Félix Houphouët-Boigny with the awarding of the Félix Houphouët-Boigny 2022 Research Prize (4th edition) and the dedication of books published by the FHB Foundation
– From October 18 to 21, 2022: International Symposium on African Integration co-organized by the University Institute of Yamoussoukro, the Association of Philosophy Professors and the FHB Foundation

NOVEMBER 2022
– November 11 and 12, 2022: Africa Foundations Awards: Awards ceremony for the winners of the second edition, sponsored by the FHB Foundation.
– November 15, 2022: National Day of Peace
– November 25 and 26, 2022: International Seminar on the theme: “the children of immigrants” co-organized by the FHB Foundation.
– 3rd edition of the Festival of Street Arts of Assinie (FARA) on the theme: “Citizen Commitment” with artists from different countries

DECEMBER 2022
– December 7, 2022: Celebration of the Anniversary of the Death of Félix Houphouët-Boigny with a mass of thanksgiving at the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Yamoussoukro

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Remember Houphouet

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Twenty-eight years ago, President Félix Houphouët-Boigny left us. But for those who believe in the forces of the spirit, he is still with us. He is alive in our hearts, in our beloved country by the strong values he defended, by the generous ideas he sowed throughout his life, by the multiple actions that were inspired by them and that allowed remarkable progress in all fields.

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Côte d’Ivoire: Here is the legacy that Houphouët left us

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Starting from almost zero, without oil, gold or diamonds, and other mines in abundance, here is the legacy that Houphouët left us.

  • two autonomous ports,
  • one international airport plus five national airfields,
  • the first national airline in the sub-region,
  • two bridges in Abidjan, having himself participated in the construction of the first one just before independence and many others in the interior,
  • three university hospitals in Abidjan (expansion of the first one) + numerous regional hospitals,
    hundreds of water towers,
  • four hydroelectric dams.
  • the first sub-regional electricity production and distribution company,
  • the only country in Black Africa with all major cities connected by asphalt,
  • the first highway in black Africa (apart from South Africa),
  • the first oil refinery in Black Africa (apart from South Africa),
  • the first bitumen manufacturing company in Black Africa (apart from South Africa),
  • the first domestic butane distribution company directly connected to homes via an inter-city pipeline network,
    the largest oil palm plantation in the world,
  • the largest privately owned cocoa and coffee plantation, which he bequeathed in part to the state during his lifetime,
  • the largest sugar complex in Africa,
  • social housing in all cities through the first two state-owned companies in Africa dedicated to such a program,
    a decentralized public university system,
  • a modern political capital, a center for advanced university education,
  • millions of national and sub-regional executives trained in Côte d’Ivoire and abroad thanks to an efficient scholarship system
  • a peaceful and intelligent sub-regional community integration,
  • a business district structured on the American model,
  • a master plan for the economic capital programmed to be developed over 50 years, including 3 additional bridges,
  • a strategic reserve of animal proteins, cattle and sheep, containing more than 100,000 heads to face a possible shortage or political crisis with the border countries,
  • and for the anecdote, a palace with the first ice rink in Africa, before South Africa…

Almost everything had to be built. Not all the objectives were achieved. But he still made us before his death :

  • the second largest economy in ECOWAS and the first by far, had it not been for Nigeria’s oil,
  • the third largest African producer of yams,
  • the second largest African exporter of bananas,
  • the fourth largest exporter of pineapples in the world and the largest in Africa,
  • the world’s largest exporter of cocoa,
  • the first African exporter of coffee and the fourth worldwide,
  • the first African exporter of copra and fifth worldwide,
  • the first exporter of kola nuts in the world,
  • Africa’s largest cotton gin,
  • the world’s largest rubber tree yield,
  • the first African exporter of tuna and second in the world,
  • Africa’s leading producer and exporter of tropical flowers and plants,
  • the first African exporter of bitumen.

And above all, when it dies:

  • a United, Peaceful and Respected country,
  • the ONLY one in the sub-region, along with Senegal and to a lesser extent Guinea, that has not experienced a coup d’état.

Nana Boigny…Respect!

WGFC Members Trained in the Values of the Culture of Peace

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From June 29 to July 1, 2021 were held first in Abidjan and then in Yamoussoukro, the capacity building seminar and the General Assembly of the Working Group for the Promotion and Participation of Women and Girls in Youth, Sports and Leisure Activities (WGWG), in partnership with the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) As a reminder, this group was created in 2000 by decision of the Conference of Ministers of Youth and Sports of the Francophonie (CONFEJES). The members of this consultative group of reflection and action constitute antennas in the Ministries in charge of youth, sports and leisure, in the member States and governments. They help CONFEJES to develop federative actions on gender equality. The WGCD is actively involved in achieving the goal of gender equity, which is the cross-cutting theme of CONFEJES’ programming.

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