The Tana Forum Secretariat is pleased to announce the three winners of the 2020 Tana Forum Annual University Essay Competition. This year, the competition was open to Africans enrolled in higher education institutions based in Africa and Africans based in the diaspora. There were a total of 45 applicants who submitted essays on the theme, “The AfCFTA: Revitalizing Pan Africanism for Sustainable Peace and Development in Africa”.

The winners are:

• 1ST – Darlington Tshuma, a Ph.D. candidate in the Peacebuilding Programme at the Durban University of Technology (South Africa) specializing in Peace & Conflict Studies: The AfCFTA: A milestone for Pan- Africanism and Conflict Transformation.
• 2ND – Nnamani Chikezie Nchedo, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Biotechnology at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria: The AfCFTA: A Milestone for Pan-Africanism and Conflict Transformation
• 3RD – Sagni Getu Sori, MA, Bahir Dar University, Faculty of Social Science, Department of Peace and Conflict Studies: The Implications of the Latest Political Developments in the Horn of Africa for the Utilization of AfCFTA and its Impediments

The three winners will have the opportunity to present their essays to participants at the Virtual Tana Forum 2020. The students have also received virtual mentorship and training in presentation skills from a pool of experts based at the Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS).

Comprising 60% of Africa’s population, youth participation is a crucial element for all decision-making in Africa. The Tana Forum aims to provide a platform for African youth to engage with African Heads of State, Government, practitioners, and experts in peace and security in Africa. This is implemented through a series of platforms created for youth to participate before, during, and after the Forum including youth forum, youth debates, multi-stakeholder dialogues, civil society and media involvement, and different competitions.