Tendai Biti , Former Zimbabwe Finance Minister (2009-2013)

SIDEBAR ON SOFT POWER

Mr. Biti was generous with his time to discuss soft power and Africa. Limited time and choppy but I think you can appreciate it.

Mauritius piece was a tad bit problematic….The somersault on which African state got a proper flogging…..

Panel Members

Alain Antil , Director of Ifri's Sub-Saharan Africa Center, Moderator

Greg Mills , Director, Brenthurst Foundation

Tendai Biti , Former Zimbabwe Finance Minister

Thierry Vircoulon , Research Associate at Ifri

Olusegun Obasanjo , Former President of Nigeria

Where is Democracy in Africa?

This was the theme for the Ifri Conference on June 7th. We were invited to the conference and also fortunate to ask the former president a question on the current state of Nigeria. The conference touched on elections, political freedoms, authoritarianism and the “strong man/dominant parties” problem. This conference was quite in depth with the occurrences of democracy, election fraud in all 54 states of Africa.

“The process from dictatorship to Democracy is bloody...
For Africa, it is bloody, complicated, corrupt and sometimes rest in ambiguity. ...Kagame anyone??
”

— Democracy in Africa

To learn more about IFRI

Learn more

The recording is in French and English but very easy to follow. Apologies for the recording quality.

Subscribe to our Youtube Channel : http://bit.ly/29r5pOQ An interview with Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria. Visit our website : http://www.ifri.org Follow us on the social media : - Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/Ifri.Paris - Twitter : http://twitter.com/IFRI_ - LinkedIn : http://www.linkedin.com/company/ifri - Soundcloud : https://soundcloud.com/ifri - Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/ifri_paris/

See you next Cassava Monday

FLAG CARRIERS AS A SOFT POWER TOOL

We will return next Cassava Tuesday to discuss Flag Carriers as a Soft Power Tool and a important role in diplomacy.

Flag Carriers are a country’s moving:
Embassy
Cultural Diplomacy Ambassador
Billboard
First Gastronomic experience

And make no mistake, it is the first impression of your country followed by your airport.

Questions to think about…..

Which African Countries have flag carriers that fly to Asian spaces? What about within the Region?

How do you brand a country into an Airline?

Does the Airline serve national cuisine or alcohol from the country?

Does your aircrew reflect the country?

Does you crew speak the major languages and ENGLISH? We will address the English language requirement.

How can you pull this off with lower priced carriers?

Who is paying for this?

Cassava Tuesdays: Democracy & Africa at the Institut français des relations internationales with Former Nigerian President Obasanjo, Biti & Friends

SIDEBAR ON SOFT POWER

Panel Members

Where is Democracy in Africa?

Cassava Tuesdays: Flag Carriers as a Soft Power Tool for African Countries

FLAG CARRIERS AS A SOFT POWER TOOL

Questions to think about…..