On May 17th, IPI together with the African Leadership Centre, King’s College London, cohosted the launch of the book Whose Peace are We Building? Leadership for Peace in Africa, authored by Dr. Youssef Mahmoud with Dr. Albert Mbiatem.

What is the relationship between leadership and peace? What kind of leadership styles, processes, and strategies are required to gain a deeper understanding of local context while at the same time maintaining the trust and cooperation of host authorities and other stakeholders on the ground? As concerns mount about the continued relevance and efficiency of UN peace operations, Dr. Youssef Mahmoud–who led several challenging peace missions in Africa–draws on many years of experience to offer insights into how leadership might be exercised to help restore and nurture peace.

Dr. Mahmoud makes the case for a paradigm shift in the type of leadership required to bring about strong, global diplomacy for peace. Making extensive use of the authors’ unique personal experiences in Burundi, Central African Republic, and Chad, the book offers an informed insight into the leadership challenges of complex conflict and post-conflict situations.

Speakers:
Dr. Youssef Mahmoud, IPI Senior Adviser
Dr. Albert Mbiatem, African Leadership Centre (ALC) alumnus and member of ALC’s Central Africa Hub

Discussants:
Amb. Fatima Kyari Mohammed, Permanent Observer of the African Union to the UN
Amb. Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, Former UN Special Envoy to Burundi and President of the Centre for Strategies and Security for the Sahel Sahara (Centre 4s)
Prof. ‘Funmi Olonisakin, Member of the Advisory Group of Experts for the 2015 Review of the Peacebuilding Architecture, Vice-President & Vice-Principal (International) and Professor of Security, Leadership, and Development at King’s College London
Mr. Oscar Fernandez-Taranco, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support, DPPA-DPO

Moderator:
Dr. Adam Lupel, IPI Vice President and Chief Operating Officer