The Tana High-Level Forum Secretariat is thrilled to announce the three winners of the 2022 Tana Forum Annual University Essay Competition. This year’s competition was available to Africans enrolled in African higher education institutions as well as Africans living in the diaspora. Twelve submissions on the theme “Managing Security Threats: Building Resilience for the Africa We Want,” which were received and evaluated using a standard score sheet that admitted nine core criteria, such as grasp of issues, originality and empirical evidence, policy relevance, contribution to knowledge, degree of analytical approach, structure and articulation, adherence to the topic, adherence to guidelines (font size, style, spacing, margin, page number, file type, etc), and language command (English/French). As a result, the three outstanding essays (two in English and one in French) were selected and examined by relevant specialists.
The winners are:
- 1ST – Humphrey W. Mrema, Using a Socio-Political framework to counter climate insecurities in Africa.
- 2ND – Noubadoumadji Bonidjita, Innovative Approaches to Combat Climate Insecurity in Africa.
- 3RD – Theodros Fisseha Admassu, IGAD and the Mediation of Conflict in the Horn of Africa
The three winners will have the opportunity to present their essays during the 10th Tana High-Level Forum which is scheduled to be organised from 14-16 October 2022, Bahir Day, Ethiopia. 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).
Considering youth make up 60% of Africa’s population, their involvement in decision-making is essential across the continent. The Tana Forum intends to provide an informal setting for African youth to interact with African leaders, policymakers, and experts in African peace and security. This is accomplished through the use of a variety of platforms designed for youth engagement prior to, during, and after the Forum, such as youth forums, youth debates, multi-stakeholder dialogues, civil society and media involvement, and multiple contests.