Special to USAfrica magazine (Houston) and USAfricaonline.com, the first Africa-owned, US-based newspaper published on the Internet
By Chido Nwangwu — with additional information from ASGF
In a remarkably forward thinking decision, the African School of Governance Foundation (ASGF) announced in Kigali, Rwanda — earlier today on October 21, 2024 — the appointment of Professor Kingsley Moghalu as the ASG’s first President.
He will lead the establishment of “the African School of Governance (ASG) graduate institution designed to offer world-class public policy education, research, and engagement programs.”
Prof. Moghalu said in response to his appointment: “The establishment of ASG is a powerful expression of a clear vision on the part of the founding leaders. I share this vision of a transformed Africa driven by competent leadership and governance, and I am honoured to have been tasked with leading ASG’s critical contribution to making that vision a reality.”
Moghalu, a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, is an international economic development specialist.
He has held senior positions in the United Nations system for 17 years.
As a scholar, he taught at Harvard, Oxford, and The Fletcher School at Tufts University and authored books, including Emerging Africa: How the Global Economy’s ‘Last Frontier’ Can Prosper and Matter.
The ASG initiative is founded by Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda, 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 through its Young Africa Works strategy.
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.
The Foundation makes very clear “The collective vision of ASG’s leadership is to create an institution that offers world-class education in governance and public policy while promoting home-grown solutions to Africa’s unique challenges and opportunities.”
Speaking on the launch, Desalegn said: “The time is ripe for an institution rooted in Africa’s needs and aspirations. The African School of Governance will be a hub for nurturing purpose-driven leaders equipped to tackle the continent’s greatest challenges and opportunities, combining Africa’s uniqueness with international best practices. This is not just an educational institution, but a movement towards sustainable African leadership.”
