The African School of Governance Foundation (ASGF) has announced the launch of the African School of Governance (ASG), a graduate school that will provide top-notch research, engagement, and public policy education.
Prominent African leaders have come together in this landmark step, as the initiative is set to transform the continent’s leadership landscape by meeting the diverse needs of leaders across Africa.
The ASG seeks to solve the urgent governance issues facing the continent by providing up-and-coming leaders in Africa with the attitudes, abilities, and information necessary for future effective leadership.
A Collective Leadership Vision
The ASG initiative was founded by H.E. Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda, and H.E. Hailemariam Desalegn, former Prime Minister of Ethiopia (both co-founders of the ASG Foundation), in consultation with other African leaders, academicians, and philanthropists dedicated to improving governance across the continent.
ASG is supported by the Mastercard Foundation as part of its Young Africa Works strategy, which aims to enable 30 million young Africans, 70 percent of whom are women,to access dignified and fulfilling work opportunities by 2030.
ASG will be led by esteemed independent governing board members, chaired by Makhtar Diop, Managing Director of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and former Minister of Finance and Economy of Senegal, and including Donald Kaberuka, former President of the African Development Bank; Hajer Gueldich, Professor at the University of Carthage; Kishore Mahbubani, former Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore; and Francis Gatare, CEO of the Rwanda Development Board.
Leadership and Governance Structure
Professor Kingsley Moghalu, a renowned scholar and academic and a former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, has been named the inaugural President of ASG by the ASG Foundation.
The leadership of ASG is united in its ambition to establish an institution that promotes indigenous solutions to Africa’s particular problems and opportunities, all the while providing top-notch instruction in governance and public policy.
H.E. Hailemariam Desalegn stated during the launch that “the time is ripe for an institution rooted in Africa’s needs and aspirations.” By fusing Africa’s distinctiveness with global best practices, the African School of Governance will serve as a center for developing purpose-driven leaders prepared to take on the continent’s biggest opportunities and problems.
This is a movement toward sustainable African leadership, not merely an educational establishment.
The continent of Africa is facing unparalleled potential and difficulties due to its swift economic expansion, growing global prominence, and changing governance frameworks.
Policymakers on the continent are faced with difficult and pressing issues that call for competent leadership, ranging from post-pandemic recovery to climate adaptation.
In order to address these issues and promote long-term, significant change throughout the continent, ASG seeks to create present and future leaders who are capable of addressing these issues through changes in governance, sustainable development, and leadership mindsets.
ASG will provide a full range of academic programs aimed at filling the gaps in leadership, governance, and policy in Africa.
They include the Executive Master of Public Administration (EMPA) and the Master of Public Administration (MPA), which are designed for senior executives and mid-career professionals, respectively.
Additionally, ASG will offer customized executive courses designed to improve professionals’ particular leadership abilities.
In order to guarantee that ASG promotes leadership development at every level, the Young Leaders Program (YLP) and Senior Leadership Fellowship (SLF) will also serve high-potential undergraduates and seasoned professionals who are approaching the conclusion of their careers.
African historical, political, and socioeconomic settings will be integrated into the curriculum, setting ASG apart.
Through the institution’s grounding of students in African realities, varied leaders will be prepared to tackle the intricate governance difficulties facing the continent while utilizing global best practices.
Through its specialized research centers, ASG will contribute significantly to the advancement of governance in addition to its educational programs.
These include the African History and Leadership Center, the Trade and Regional Integration Center, the Center for Technology and Effective Delivery, and the home Grown Innovations in Policy and Governance Center.
In order to assist policymakers in creating and putting into practice sensible policies and strategies, these research hubs will concentrate on producing evidence-based solutions specific to African governance issues.
With intentions to actively interact with governments, civil society, and corporate sector players, ASG has an equally strong commitment to policy involvement.
By means of policy laboratories, incubators, and cooperative collaborations, ASG aims to convert its research findings into practical policy solutions that advance sustainable development and good governance throughout the continent.
Professor Kingsley Moghalu, a world-renowned authority on public policy and administration, will guide ASG toward its lofty objectives in his role as its first president.
Formerly serving as the deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Professor Moghalu has 17 years of experience in high UN posts and has taught at esteemed universities like Harvard, Oxford, and Tufts University’s The Fletcher School.
A number of publications have been written by him, including the highly regarded Emerging Africa: How the World Economy’s “Last Frontier” Can Prosper and Matter.
“We are excited to welcome Kingsley Moghalu as President of the African School of Governance,” stated Makhtar Diop, Managing Director of the IFC and Chair of the ASG Board.
ASG will become a revolutionary graduate school and produce a new generation of purpose-driven leaders equipped with the knowledge and perspectives needed to assist Africa in addressing the challenges of the twenty-first century, thanks to his stellar record of leadership in academics, international and national policymaking institutions, and thought leadership influence.
Professor Moghalu will be responsible for steering and shaping ASG’s academic vision and delivering learning programs that reflect the complex governance challenges facing Africa today.
Under the guidance of the Governing Board, he will focus on recruiting top-tier African faculty, fostering academic excellence, and positioning ASG as a hub for intellectual and policy innovation.
“The establishment of ASG is a powerful expression of a clear vision on the part of the founding leaders,” Prof. Moghalu said in response to his appointment. “I share this vision of a transformed Africa driven by competent leadership and governance, and I am honored to have been tasked with leading ASG’s critical contribution to making that vision a reality.”
The ASG Foundation, a non profit organisation,provides strategic direction to ASG and backs related programs aimed at developing young leaders in addition to managing the organisation’s assets and securing funding.
Robust strategic alliances with other premier organizations, such as the Mastercard Foundation and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, have aided in the formation of ASG.
A Pan-African Initiative with Global Reach
With its main office in Kigali, Rwanda, ASG aims to develop into a pan-African organization with a significant worldwide impact.
Its goal is to develop cross-border leadership capabilities so that African voices are not only heard but also take the lead in talks about global governance.
ASG’s affiliation with establishments like the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore demonstrates its unwavering dedication to provide an exceptional education that incorporates knowledge from both African and global domains.
An important turning point in the governance of Africa has been reached with this announcement.
The institution will support the development of the leaders Africa needs to meet the opportunities and challenges of the twenty-first century, thanks to the joint efforts of its founders and partners.
